Can You Leave a Baby at a Fire or Police Station?

What Every Woman Should Know About Leaving Babies at Fire Stations

Women can leave an unwanted baby at a fire station, hospital or police station safely without any legal repercussions, thanks to Safe Haven laws. This law allows women to leave baby at fire houses or other emergency services locations, as long as that location is registered as a Safe Haven.

Whether you hope to adopt a baby who has been surrendered, or if you need information about leaving unwanted babies at fire stations, this guide is for you.

FAQ about Leaving a Baby at a Fire Station

Time and again, new parents have abandoned newborns in unsafe locations, which led to harm or even death of the child, and legal consequences for the parents. Most of the time, they didn’t know their state’s Safe Haven laws – or that adoption was a safer, legal option.

Learning about this option for safely surrendering a newborn could save countless lives and protect new parents who feel they must surrender a baby. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about leaving a baby at a fire station:

“Can you leave a baby at the fire station if you need to?”

Yes, as long as the fire station is an approved Safe Haven location in your state (check your state’s laws to be sure). Women can leave a baby at a firehouse, safely and legally, as long as they surrender the baby in accordance with their state’s Safe Haven laws. Find a Safe Haven location here.

However, instead of leaving your baby inside a fire station, it’s best to directly contact a private adoption agency. They’re available 24/7, and you can surrender your baby to the agency confidentially. Learn more here.

“Can you legally leave a baby at a fire station?”

Many women who have recently given birth have worried, “Is there a law about leaving newborn babies at fire stations? Can you really just leave a baby at a fire station without any legal consequences?” The answer is: Yes, as long as you follow your state’s Safe Haven laws and procedures carefully. That means you must leave your unharmed infant with an on-duty staff member at an approved Safe Haven location, and that your child must be within your state’s age limit to be eligible for a Safe surrender.

All 50 states in the U.S. have Safe Haven laws, which protect parents who need to anonymously surrender a newborn under a certain age.

“What are the laws about leaving a baby at a fire station in my state?”

Every state has Safe Haven laws to protect new parents who must leave a baby at a fire station. These laws protect the parents from criminal liability. However, the laws in each state are slightly different in several ways:

• The maximum age of a surrendered infant
• The locations where an infant may be surrendered
• Who the parent must surrender their newborn to
• And more

If the parent does not complete the surrender in accordance with their state’s Safe Haven laws, they could be held criminally liable for child endangerment, abandonment, neglect and possibly more. This is why it’s so important for parents who must surrender their newborn to do so at a Safe Haven location!

Check your state’s Safe Haven laws here before you go to surrender your newborn, or call an adoption agency now.

“Can you still leave a baby at a fire station? I thought that was something that only happened a long time ago.”

Yes, a new parent can still complete a fire station baby safe surrender, although it’s far less common than it used to be thanks to more women choosing to contact a private adoption agency instead.

“Why can a baby be surrendered at a fire station?”

When women feel that they have no other options, they will resort to drastic measures. This isn’t something that a woman should ever receive shame or criticism for — they’re doing this only because they feel they must, and because it’s what’s best for themselves and for this child.

Women need to be able to safely and legally surrender a child anonymously, otherwise they may feel forced to abandon their newborn someplace unsafe. Remember: It’s always legal, free and confidential to place your baby for adoption through a licensed agency, which is the safer, preferred way to surrender a baby.

“Do all fire stations accept unwanted babies to be surrendered?”

In most situations, yes. But, it’s still  important to understand your state’s Safe Haven laws, and to check to see if a fire station has the Safe Haven sign outside of the building. To surrender your newborn, you’ll need to go inside of the fire station and hand your baby to someone on duty.

However, if you need to surrender your baby and you can’t find a Safe Haven location near you (or if your infant isn’t protected by Safe Haven laws because they’re too old) you should contact a national private adoption agency now. You’ll still be able to surrender your baby through them, even if leaving baby at firehouse isn’t an option for you. Contact an adoption agency now — it’s free, simple and 100% confidential.

“Can you surrender a baby to fire stations anonymously?”

Yes. However, providing basic information about yourself like your name, contact information, medical history and more, can all help your baby throughout his or her life.

We understand that you may be in an emergency situation where you need to hide this from people in your life, but remember that an adoption agency would never reveal the information that you provide to anyone but your child and his or her future parents. However, if you do need to leave your baby at a fire station, you can do so anonymously, yes.

“Are women allowed to abandon babies at fire stations if they’ve been raising the baby themselves for a while?”

Sometimes. If you feel that you must leave the baby at a fire station, you may still be able to do so, depending on your state’s specific Safe Haven laws. Each state has a maximum age limit for newborns surrendered at Safe Haven locations.

We understand that sometimes, you don’t realize that you’re unable to take care of this baby until you’ve tried to for a while. It’s OK if you’re just now deciding that adoption is what’s best for this baby! It’s not too late.

We always recommend contacting a private adoption agency instead of leaving a baby at the fire station, especially if your baby is too old to be surrendered at a Safe Haven. Adoption agencies also give you the option to stay in touch with your baby’s adoptive parents and to watch your child grow, happy and loved.

“Can you leave a baby outside a fire station, or do you have to go inside and talk to someone?”

If you live in Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, or Arkansas, you can potentially place your baby inside a fire station’s Safe Surrender box (located on the outside of the building). Otherwise, you must go inside and leave your baby with someone who is working at the fire station. Never leave your baby unattended on the ground outside of the fire station, or in a carrier out front!

It’s only safe for your baby (and legally safe for you) if you leave him or her inside of the building with a staff member. Remember: You won’t get in trouble for surrendering your baby at a Safe Haven location like a fire station, just as long as you make sure your baby is safe first!

“Can you leave a baby at a fire station even if you’re a minor?”

Yes. If you have to, you can surrender your baby to a Safe Haven location like a fire station, no matter your age. You will never get in trouble for surrendering a baby safely or for contacting an adoption agency, even if you’re under 18.

“Can you leave a baby at a police station legally?”

Yes, as long as you follow your state’s Safe Haven laws and procedures carefully. We know that you might be nervous to surrender your baby to a police office for fear of legal consequences, but remember that you can always safely and legally surrender your baby at a Safe Haven location like a police station — no questions asked.

Women who have asked, “Can you leave a baby at a police station?” are often concerned that they’ll face legal repercussions for surrendering their baby. But, Safe Haven laws protect them.

If you’re uncomfortable leaving your baby at a police station, contact a private adoption agency now. It’s free, confidential, available 24/7 and you’ll never get in trouble for placing a baby for adoption.

“What would happen to my fire station abandoned baby?”

When you leave baby at police or fire station, Baby Moses laws protect you from consequences as long as your baby is unharmed and under a certain age (determined by your state’s Safe Haven laws). In order to surrender your newborn legally, you must enter the Safe Haven location and hand your baby to someone on duty. Here’s what happens to the baby:

After you leave, a medical professional will examine your baby. Then, the local child protective services office will be contacted, and they’ll take care of your baby until a foster family or a permanent adoptive family can be found.

That’s why it’s always better to contact an adoption agency directly if you need to surrender your newborn. They’ll be able to send a permanent adoptive family right away, so your baby never has to enter foster care.

“Do the abandoned babies at fire stations go into foster care?”

Usually, yes. It can take a while for local foster care services to find a foster or adoptive family for your baby.

For this reason, we recommend that you immediately contact a private adoption agency instead of leaving your baby at the fire station. Through an adoption agency, you would be able to place your baby immediately into a permanent waiting adoptive family, and your baby would never enter foster care.

“Who would adopt a Safe Haven fire station baby?”

There are hundreds of waiting couples through adoption agencies. If you contact an adoption agency right now, they can send a family to adopt your child as quickly as you need. Your child will grow up safe, loved and cared for.

If you would like to select your child’s future family, contact an adoption agency now — they’ll show you profiles of hopeful parents so that you can choose the family you want for your baby. You can even get to know them and stay in touch for life through an open adoption, if you choose to!

“Where can I find a Safe Haven baby fire station location to safely surrender my baby?”

Start here to find a Safe Haven location in your area if you need to surrender your baby. Be sure to check your state’s Safe Haven laws to make sure that you surrender your baby lawfully; otherwise you could be at risk for criminal charges.

Instead of leaving your baby at a fire station, it’s always best to directly contact a private adoption agency. They’re available 24/7 to help you place your child for adoption legally, and it’s always 100% free and confidential. Contact an adoption agency now to safely and legally surrender your baby.