What most people might assume is a topic both sides of the political spectrum can agree on led to a lengthy debate on the floor of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen this morning. The topic in question? Whether to place a baby box at a north city fire station.
Board Bill 232, sponsored by Ward 11 Alderwoman Laura Keys, would allow Fire Department Engine House #17 to install a baby box — sometimes referred to as a newborn safety incubator — in accordance with Missouri’s Safe Place for Newborns Act.
This would be the first such box in the City of St. Louis, Keys says. The first baby box in Missouri was placed in St. Louis County last year and proudly announced it had received its first surrender in February.
The box at the city fire station would be accessible from the exterior and would provide a safe place for parents to surrender their newborns in a climate-controlled environment. As soon as the door to the box closes, an alarm would sound allowing firefighters to retrieve the baby.
Keys and proponents of the bill argue that this is a safe way to surrender a child and would provide an alternative to desperate parents who might otherwise abandon a newborn in an unsafe place. But some aldermen argued that the boxes are too anonymous and would prevent Child Protective Services from locating extended family of the child for placement — and could prevent the child from learning about their true medical history. They also drew pushback for being associated with the anti-abortion movement.
There was enough criticism that, despite yesterday being the last day of the 2023-2024 legislative session, Keys said she was asked to hold the bill.
“I’m somewhat disturbed that this morning at 15 minutes prior to walking into session I am getting calls and text messages where people want me to hold this bill. I will not,” Keys said during the meeting. “This bill is not citywide although I would hope that other alders here would see that this is something that is needed.”
First Ward Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer responded saying she is one of the alders who proposed Keys hold the bill.
“This is a bill that, as I’ve learned more about it and as I’ve learned more about the topic, I’ve gotten increasingly uncomfortable with this as a concept,” Schweitzer said. “What I’ve learned about these baby boxes is that on the face of them, it seems like something that might offer help to a community, but when you start digging a little bit deeper you realize that this would sever the child completely from their family, would not allow any knowledge of the medical history of the baby.”
It may be better to explore other options like the safe places that already exist in the city, Schweitzer said.
Ward 12 Alderwoman Sharon Tyus supported the bill. She said she’s one of 32 first cousins, and one was abandoned in a trash can in Texas as an infant.
“This is a safe thing and I think it’s a wonderful thing. I do understand the alderwoman’s concerns but first and foremost I understand keep the baby safe,” Tyus said.
The bill ultimately earned the narrowest of approvals, earning four “present” votes from members Rasheen Aldridge, Alisha Sonnier, Michael Browning and Shane Cohn, as well as two no votes from Aldermanic President Megan Green and Schweitzer.
Sonnier explained her vote by citing the risks of the anonymity of the box and the lack of a paper trail for the child and social services.
Tyus and Keys followed up and made clear that there is no rule stopping a parent from leaving a letter or other identifying information with the child, but pointed out that sometimes the point is anonymity because of shame or fear of drug-related prosecution.
“You don’t have those resources when you drop them in the trash can, you just have less safe babies,” Tyus said.
Technology has also advanced enough that many DNA tests can help children to locate relatives, Tyus said.
“You can’t force people to leave a trail,” she said.
Ward 14’s Aldridge said he is worried about the “pro-life” community’s association with the boxes.
“With doing my research on these baby boxes, what I found out [from] countless articles from the Guardian, New York Times is how these baby boxes are also being pushed on a national level — and I don’t think this is the alderwoman’s intent — but on a national level by pro-life groups throughout the country, even here in the state of Missouri,” Aldridge said. “I wouldn’t want us to push a narrative that we’re passing this and kind of being part of that national movement that is happening.”
Keys says the bill is about protecting children who are already here.
“If you decide to have an abortion, hell I’ll drive you,” Keys said. “But I’m not going to do something that would not safeguard a child who is already here.”
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