Anonymous baby abandonment is still practiced in the US?
"... But in the United States today, a modern version of the foundling wheel, known as a baby box, has gained popularity despite existing methods that either help struggling parents receive resources to keep their children or allow them to surrender an infant face-to-face. In-person care opens the door for options counseling, health care for the mother and child, and some limited legal protections. ...
She has mapped nearly 350 such devices in use across the country, often installed in fire stations.
Modern infant abandonment boxes possess alarms, video monitors, and temperature controls critical to keeping an infant alive. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not currently consider the most popular box, sold by a single manufacturer, to qualify as a medical device. They are therefore unregulated, and experts say they pose risks to the infant’s survival. ...
For example, the devices can be installed in a location without the constant presence of onsite staff, endangering the health of a vulnerable infant and possibly delaying discovery; the anonymity prevents any transfer of the baby’s medical history, compromising their health outcomes ...
“We ought to look back in history,” ... noting how foundling museums in Europe have tens of thousands of tokens on display, which illustrate the profound loss felt by relinquishing parents. These tokens are unique identifying objects that parents left with their children in the hopes of later describing them to reclaim their children. ..."
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