(St. Joseph County, IN) - The newest Safe Haven Baby Box in the area has been named after former 2nd District Congresswoman Jackie Walorski.
The dedication was made Wednesday at the Penn Township Fire Station in Mishawaka near Penn High School.
Attending the unveiling were friends and family of Walorski, including her Congressional successor Rudy Yakym. “By naming this baby box in Jackie Walorski’s honor,” he said, “we’re also giving a fitting tribute to my predecessor’s lifelong service of life and lifelong dedication to life. Jackie was dedicated to life, but she was also full of life, as she channeled her positive energy toward saving children.”
Also on hand was a little girl named Maya who was surrendered in a baby box a few years ago. Maya attended the ceremony with her adopted family. 26 infants have been recovered in Indiana baby boxes over the past five years.
Baby boxes are secure drop-off locations where a desperate mom can leave a baby safely and legally. After an alert sounds, first responders get to the baby within minutes. State law allows such a surrender of a baby up to 30 days old without prosecution.
There are now 118 baby boxes in Indiana. A new one is about to be installed at Fire Station 2 in La Porte.
