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Rockwall County fire station offers anonymous surrender option after Fort Worth infant death
A baby found dead near a Fort Worth motel dumpster has renewed attention on Texas’ Safe Haven options. Rockwall County’s first Safe Haven Baby Box, installed at the McLendon-Chisholm Fire Department in January, allows a parent to surrender an unharmed newborn anonymously.
A newborn found dead near a dumpster outside a Fort Worth motel late Sunday has prompted local officials to highlight a way parents can safely and anonymously surrender an infant: Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
The Rockwall County box is at the McLendon-Chisholm Fire Department, where it was installed in January. Fire Chief Eddie Stough said he prioritized bringing the option to the department after responding to a similar incident years ago.
“We would much rather see that than us responding to a circumstance like what just happened,” Stough said.
The Fort Worth case is under investigation. Court documents say 23-year-old Avia Cantrell admitted to leaving her newborn daughter face down in bathwater for about 30 minutes. Cantrell has been charged with capital murder. A 26-year-old man believed to be her boyfriend, Camron Baker, has been charged with abuse of a corpse.
Under Texas’ Baby Moses Law, a parent may surrender an unharmed baby who is 60 days old or younger to staff at designated locations, including hospitals and fire stations. A baby box provides another option for surrendering an infant without meeting staff face to face.
At the McLendon-Chisholm station, a parent has 60 seconds to leave after placing a baby in the box before an alarm sounds. Stough said the system alerts fire department and Rockwall EMS staff, as well as Child Protective Services. It does not notify law enforcement, and there are no cameras outside the box, allowing the person surrendering the baby to remain anonymous.
“Anybody who feels like they're in a position that they need to surrender their child, please give us the opportunity to assist you,” Stough said.
Safe Haven boxes are expanding in North Texas: Rowlett installed one this past summer, and a newborn was safely surrendered through a box in Ennis earlier this year, according to officials.