Two infants a year might sound small—until you’re the coroner who sees what happens when a parent has nowhere safe to turn. We invited Chief Deputy Coroner Riley Hoff from Douglas County, Washington, to explore why well-intended Safe Haven laws still miss families in crisis and how a simple extension—24/7 anonymous infant safety devices—can turn fear into a safe handoff and a second chance.

We unpack the real constraints on the ground: the 72-hour window, the requirement to face staff at limited locations, and the stigma that keeps parents from walking through a busy door in a town where everyone knows everyone. Riley brings a public health lens shaped by death investigations, touching on the pressures of addiction, homelessness, and mental health that complicate perinatal decisions. We contrast Washington’s experience with Indiana’s results, where secure, alarmed baby boxes linked to first responders have correlated with zero fatal abandonments due to abandonment and a growing number of safe surrenders. The point isn’t replacing people—it’s protecting privacy at the crucial moment when a parent needs an anonymous, immediate option.

Together we outline a pragmatic roadmap: authorize infant safety devices within the existing Safe Haven framework; set clear standards for installation, alarms, and response; and fund a statewide education push so parents, hospitals, shelters, and schools know the law. We also talk about compassion over judgment—why prosecuting a mother who leaves a newborn safely in a hospital can drive others away from care, and how hotlines and counselors can support without steering the decision. If you care about maternal and infant health, harm reduction, and practical policy, this conversation offers data, lived experience, and a plan to save lives—one quiet door at a time.

If this resonated, follow the show, share with a friend, and leave a review with your take on how Washington should modernize Safe Haven access. Your voice helps move policymakers and protects the next newborn who needs a safe start.

Support the show

shbb.org

Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on:

TikTok

Instagram

Youtube

X

Facebook

Find Monica Kelsey on:

TikTok

Instagram

Two alarms changed everything—one to a fully involved fire, and one to a life waiting in a baby box. We sat down with the Martinez family in Albuquerque to share the raw, unedited journey from infertility and foster‑care training to the moment a five‑pound newborn arrived at their station and rewrote their future. What followed was a whirlwind of NICU nights, confusing protocols, and a simple vow to keep showing up. Along the way, we talk openly about grief from the fatal blaze, the moral courage of a birth mother who chose safety and anonymity, and the quiet heroism of first responders who train for a moment they hope they never miss.

We pull back the curtain on safe haven laws, baby boxes, and why anonymous surrender can be the difference between tragedy and a second chance. The Martinezes describe the emotional whiplash of placement—“you have him,” “you don’t,” “you can visit”—and the steady faith that carried them to adoption day. You’ll hear about bottle feeds and monitors, a name chosen to honor a lost brother, and the day cardiology said, “This is the last time you’ll see us.” We don’t skip the hard parts: addiction’s grip, identity questions for adopted kids, and the delicate balance between privacy and telling a story that can save lives.

What emerges is a love letter to community: firefighters ready to respond, ICU nurses who teach first baths, caseworkers finding their way, and listeners who care enough to advocate for safe, practical options. If you’ve ever wondered whether baby boxes work, or how faith, policy, and perseverance meet in the real world, this conversation offers an honest map—and a reason to hope. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help more families discover safe haven resources and real‑world stories like Mikey’s.

Support the show

shbb.org

Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on:

TikTok

Instagram

Youtube

X

Facebook

Find Monica Kelsey on:

TikTok

Instagram

Support the show

shbb.org

Find Safe Haven Baby Boxes on:

TikTok

Instagram

Youtube

X

Facebook

Find Monica Kelsey on:

TikTok

Instagram