The Cullman City Fire Department is prepared to move forward with its plans to install a Safe Haven baby box.

Since his promotion in June 2024, Cullman City Fire Chief Darren Peebles has been working behind the scenes to gather information on how baby boxes in the city of Madison, Alabama have been utilized. Madison is home to the first baby location installed in Alabama since legislators amended the State’s safe haven law in 2023.

Prior to the 2023 amendments, infants could be surrendered within 72 hours of birth to hospitals. House Bill 473, sponsored by Representative Donna Givens (R – Loxley), extended that period to 45 days and allowed infants to be surrendered anonymously to fire stations who had medical personnel on staff 24 hours per day.

“As a pro-life Christian, this bill is an extension of my belief that every child’s life is absolutely sacred and must be protected,” Givens said in 2023. “We want mothers and fathers who are unable to care for their babies to have safer, more compassionate options to leave infants where they can receive care before going to loving homes.”

The bill also allowed specialized, climate controlled drop-off locations to be installed on the exterior walls of buildings staffed by medical personnel. The boxes’ doors lock immediately after a child is placed inside and an alert is sent to onsite medical staff.

Peebles said he will also receive real-time notifications if a child is surrendered to the future Cullman location.

Peebles recently told Cullman City Council members that at least four infants had been surrendered in Madison since its first box was made available in January 2024. While no cameras are present near the boxes to allow for complete anonymity, Peebles said officials with the city of Madison believe the majority of surrenders are performed by individuals from outside the area.

The Times has not received a response to messages left with the city of Madison to verify these statements.

Once a child is retrieved from a baby box, they will be immediately transported to a nearby hospital for more thorough medical evaluations. The city would then work with the Alabama Department of Human Resources to place the child in the state’s foster care and adoption system.

Cullman County DHR director Amy Smith said protocols are currently in place and the department is prepared to find homes for children in the event any are surrendered locally. She said she believed the Safe Haven boxes were a safe alternative for mothers and parents who may experiencing extremely difficult circumstances.

“We always want more options for mothers,” Smith said. “I genuinely believe that mothers love their children. But, they know if they aren’t in a place to really care for that child. I think this gives them a safe option to do what they think is best and takes the shame they may feel away by allowing them to do it anonymously.”

The city of Cullman has included around $20,000 to cover the initial purchase and installation of a Safe Haven baby box in its annual budget. Peebles said there was also the possibility of recouping some — if not all — of those costs through donors or federal grants.

Following the most recent council meeting on Monday, Jan. 13, the city’s attorney Luke Satterfield told The Times he was prepared to draft a contract with Safe Haven for the installation, testing and upkeep of the baby box. Once finalized, he said the council will need to authorize mayor Woody Jacobs to sign the contract.

If purchased, the baby box would take approximately eight weeks to produce and once installed would be required to complete seven consecutive days of testing.