18-year-old mother searched ‘If a baby passes before being placed in the Safe Haven will you still get in trouble’ on the internet before placing her baby girl’s dead body in a baby box; charged

Idaho – In a heartbreaking misuse of a system designed to protect newborns in Idaho, an 18-year-old mother, identified as A. Newberry, has been arrested following the discovery of a deceased newborn in the state’s only Safe Haven Baby Box. This case has sparked a complex investigation into the circumstances leading up to the baby’s death and the subsequent actions taken by the teen mother.

The only Safe Haven Baby Box location in the state of Idaho is meant to provide a secure and anonymous method for parents to safely surrender newborns they are unable to care for, provided the child is unharmed and under 30 days old. However, this system was unfortunately misused when a dead newborn girl was found inside the box on the morning of October 13, with the placenta still attached, indicating a very recent birth.

Responding to an alarm from the baby box, medical staff quickly attended but quickly realized that the newborn had passed away long before being placed in the baby box. This discovery led to an immediate law enforcement investigation, as the intended use of the Baby Box does not protect the abandonment of harmed or deceased infants.

Security footage and subsequent detective work traced the act back to Newberry. She was arrested on charges of failing to report a death. Newberry was apprehended at her home, which is approximately a two-hour drive from the Safe Haven Baby Box location where she dropped her daughter. According to reports, the mother thought that by placing her dead daughter in the baby box, she would get away without facing consequences.

Newberry reportedly confessed to giving birth secretly at home on the night of October 12 and attempting to care for the infant herself before deciding to place the baby in the Safe Haven Baby Box the following day. During the investigation, Newberry disclosed that she had concealed her pregnancy from her family and had gone into labor alone in her bathroom. She initially claimed the baby was alive and making noises after birth, which continued until the morning she decided to drive to the baby box location. However, her story changed during interviews, and she admitted to uncertainty about the baby’s condition during the drive, including whether the infant was making any noise.

She also misled investigators about her activities, initially claiming she pondered for an hour in a nearby parking lot before placing the baby in the Safe Haven Baby Box. Additionally, evidence from her phone revealed Google searches concerning the legal repercussions if a baby passes away before being placed in a Safe Haven Baby Box, indicating premeditation and awareness of the potential legal issues. According to reports, Newberry searched, “If a baby passes before being placed in the Safe Haven will you still get in trouble.”

Newberry has been charged with failing to report a death, a felony, and is currently held at the county’s jail. Authorities have hinted at the possibility of additional charges as the investigation continues. This case has deeply affected the community. The local sheriff’s office and community leaders are calling for increased education on Safe Haven laws to ensure they are properly used.