An Idaho teen has been arrested for allegedly leaving a dead baby in a Safe Haven Baby Box more than a month ago.
Angel N. Newberry, 18, of Twin Falls was taken into custody by Blackfoot police on Nov. 21 for allegedly leaving a newborn girl in the casket at Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot.
While the baby girl was removed from the playpen “within a minute” after the clinic received the alert on October 13, staff quickly realized that the newborn was long dead before it was abandoned.
‘The medical team removed the baby from the crib within a minute. When they were removed, they quickly realized that the baby had died long before it was placed in the baby box.
“Idaho’s Safe Haven Law allows the surrender of a child who is unharmed and healthy. Therefore, this was not a legal surrender under state law because it does not meet the criteria for surrender to Safe Harbor,” a press release from Safe Harbor said.
Monica Kelsey, the founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said in a social media post at the time: “We are heartbroken. Anonymity is only allowed if a child is transferred safely and completely unharmed.’
Since launching in 2016, Safe Haven Baby Boxes have provided parents with a discreet and safe option to relinquish their newborn baby.
Angel N. Newberry, 18, of Twin Falls was taken into custody by Blackfoot police on Nov. 21 for allegedly leaving a dead newborn girl in the Save Haven Baby Box
While the baby girl was removed from the playpen “within a minute” after the clinic received the alert on October 13, staff quickly realized the newborn had been dead long before she was abandoned.
The nonprofit’s policy states that any parent can abandon a baby under 30 days old without legal consequences.
However, it is imperative that the child is not harmed or killed, both by company policy and by Idaho law.
The medical boxes are installed in the outer wall of the building. An exterior door automatically locks when a newborn baby is placed inside, and a medical staff member opens an interior door to secure the baby.
Boxes are available in more than a dozen states. Since 2017, 52 babies have been surrendered to the organization’s baby box locations, Kelsey said.
On a new Facebook afterDeputies from the Blackfoot Police Department said: ‘The Safe Haven Baby Box is intended to allow caring parents to safely and anonymously surrender a newborn baby under 30 days old without legal consequences, provided the child remains unharmed.
“Unfortunately, the placement of an injured or deceased child is not protected under this system or Idaho law.
“After hard work by the Blackfoot – Bingham Joint Detective Division over the past two months, 18-year-old Angel N. Newberry of Twin Falls was arrested in Twin Falls on a Bingham County misdemeanor charge of failure to report a death by law. enforcement officers and the coroner.
Since launching in 2016, Safe Haven Baby Boxes have provided parents with a discreet and safe option to relinquish their newborn
The child was left at Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot, Idaho
The nonprofit’s policy states that any parent can abandon a baby under 30 days old without legal consequences. However, it is imperative that the child is not harmed or killed under this system or Idaho law
“Angel was transported and booked into the Bingham County Jail pursuant to the above warrant.
Newberry has been charged with one misdemeanor count of failing to report a death to police. A court date has not yet been set.
Officials have not yet clarified who the father is or how old the child was at the time of her death.
Deputies also said that “due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation and the possibility of further criminal charges,” no more information about the case will be made public for the time being.