Safe Haven Laws

Can You Leave a Baby at the Fire Station?


If you have realized that you are not ready for parenthood, then that is completely OK. There is no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed.

But, what if you’ve already been raising your baby for several months? Can you leave a baby outside of a fire station? Is there a law for leaving a baby at a fire station? We’re here to answer this question for you in this detailed article.

To get more free information now, you can contact us online at any time. But, we have also created this guide to help you make the most informed decision for your circumstances. We understand that you are likely overwhelmed right now, and we are here to help you out.

Can You Leave a Baby at the Fire Station? [And Why Can a Baby Be Surrendered at a Fire Station?]

If you are wondering if you can leave a baby at a fire station, then this may be an option for you. Depending on your state’s Safe Haven laws, this could be a path that’s available. A Safe Haven is a state-designated location where women can leave their babies if they feel they cannot properly care for them.

But, abandoning a baby at a fire station is not your only option. For example, you can choose adoption with a trusted private agency. Even if you have already taken your baby home from the hospital, or if you have been taking care of them for months, adoption is still an option. In fact, you might discover that adoption is the best decision you could make in your situation.

Women Can Leave an “Unwanted” Baby at a Fire Station [But They Can Also Choose Adoption]

So, do all fire stations accept unwanted babies to be surrendered? The answer to this question is not black or white. The safest bet is to check with your state’s Safe Haven laws to see if you can surrender your baby at a fire station, police station, hospital or church.

In some states, all of these locations qualify as Safe Haven locations. In others, only some of them do. To avoid child abandonment charges, always check with your local laws about who can surrender a baby, how old the baby can be and what a designated Safe Haven site is.

Still, it is not too late to choose adoption for your baby. To help you make the best choice for your situation and your baby, we have detailed some of the benefits of adoption for prospective birth mothers below. So, can you leave a baby at a police station legally? Yes, you may be able to do that, but you might find that adoption has more advantages.

The Ability to Stay in Touch with Your Child

Women can leave an “unwanted” baby at a fire station, but there is no guarantee that you will ever see your child again if you do so. When you say you have an “unwanted” baby, what you likely mean instead is that you feel that you can’t properly care for them right now. You may still want to see them, but you don’t feel ready to be a parent. Adoption provides a great alternative for this conundrum.

If you choose an open adoption, then you can stay in touch with your child and the adoptive family long after placement occurs. The vast majority of adoptions today are open to some extent, so adoption doesn’t have to be “goodbye.”

Instead, it can be “see you later.” Also, as the prospective birth mother, you get to choose what method of communication you use to keep in touch. For instance, you can build a lifelong bond with them through:

  • In-person visits
  • Zoom or Skype chats
  • Phone calls
  • Text messages
  • Handwritten letters
  • Emails
  • Or whatever you feel comfortable with

In other words, you can watch your child grow up happy and healthy with a loving family of your choosing. But, if you want to remain anonymous through a closed adoption, that is an option, as well.

Adoption Financial Assistance

Many prospective birth mothers often wonder how much adoption costs for them. They think it is expensive, and that’s why they may consider abandoning a baby at a fire station. But, adoption is always free for prospective birth parents.

This is because of something known as adoption financial assistance, which covers all your adoption-related fees. You are already making the loving choice of putting your baby up for adoption, so the last thing you should have to worry about is money.

Can You Leave a Baby at a Police Station Legally?

As we mentioned earlier, it is always best to check with your state’s Safe Haven laws before you move forward with this plan. What is certain, though, is that you cannot leave your baby at a fire station or police station unsupervised. Be sure to leave your baby with an on-duty staff member at a designated Safe Haven site.

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For a Safe Haven baby, a fire station is an option. Still, this may be difficult to wrap your head around in one sitting.

That’s why we are here to answer any more questions that you may have about baby boxes and surrender sites. You can get free adoption information now by filling out our online contact form. We are happy to help you in whatever way that we can.


Ready to get started? Contact an adoption agency now to get free information.

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