Resident urges county outreach on safe-haven law and baby boxes as reproductive-care option

Leah Sowers, a Lexington Park resident, urged the Board of County Commissioners to publicize Maryland's safe-haven law and to consider installing a "baby box" in a 24-hour county facility such as the Lexington Park EMS station. "Most people don't even know what the safe-haven law is in our county," Sowers said, and she recommended pamphlets at sheriff and fire stations and online information. Sowers described baby boxes as ventilated, padded units where an infant can be placed safely and retrieved within minutes; she cited an August 2023 example in Carmel, Indiana, where officials reported an adoptive family was secured for a surrendered infant within 12 hours. Sowers said training and installation support are available from organizations that promote the boxes. Why it matters: speakers framed the measure as a public-safety and child-welfare option for people who do not know where to turn in a crisis. The public forum record shows no county decision; Sowers provided handouts and asked staff to consider outreach and placement options that match local 24-hour staffing patterns. Ending: Sowers asked the county to evaluate feasible sites for installation and to include training and public-information steps if the county pursues the idea.