NORWALK, Iowa — The Norwalk Fire Department will soon have Iowa’s third Safe Haven Baby Box, according to the department.

“We had a tragic event happen here in the community a couple years ago in February that did result in the loss of a newborn. This is our effort to ensure that something like that doesn’t happen again within our community,” said Fire Chief Jennifer Porter.

In March 2023, Norwalk Police found a newborn baby dead in a ditch on Delaware Avenue. Police initially charged the baby’s mother, Megan Staude, and grandfather, Rodney Staude, of first-degree murder. Since then, Megan has pled guilty to second-degree murder and a judge ruled Rodney was incompetent to stand trial.

Chief Porter said conversations about installing a baby box in Norwalk began after the newborn’s murder.

In Iowa, people can anonymously leave newborns up to 90-days-old in baby boxes so they can be found and cared for. The Fort Dodge Fire Department and MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines currently have Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

When a baby is placed in the box, an alarm will alert the dispatch agency. Porter said that’s why fire stations are ideal places for baby boxes.

“We do staff 24/7, so they’re able to come and then get the baby out of the box and render any aid, if necessary, and transport to a local hospital,” she said.

Lieutenant Jacob Pemberton with the Norwalk Fire Department brought the idea to the Norwalk City Staff and City Council earlier this year, because he felt the community would benefit from one.

“It just allows some anonymous-ness to the individuals that aren’t able to keep the baby. It allows either the parent themselves to drop off the baby or someone designated to come up here and drop the baby off,” said Lieutenant Pemberton.

The Norwalk Firefighters Association is currently fundraising for $50,000 for the initial purchase, installation, and annual yearly expense for the baby box. A non-profit account for the Norwalk Safe Haven Baby Box (SHBB) has been set up at City State Bank. The city has provided approval for the Norwalk Fire Department to provide on-going staffing support for the SHBB.

Local non-profits donated half of the needed sum so far, including the 100 Men of Norwalk’s $9,700 donation made last week.

“[The Safe Haven Baby Box Program] really spoke to us and it was a clear cause of how we wanted to help be a small part of this program and a great thing for our community,” said Carson Forst, a representative for the 100 Men of Norwalk.

In 2025, community members will be able to donate directly to the initiative. The Norwalk Fire Department will release further information to the community about how they can donate in the coming weeks.

“We did feel a large community response when the event happened, so we want them to feel like this is a project they can participate in,” said Porter.

The Norwalk Fire Department is now in the process of ordering the baby box and deciding where they want to put it in Firehouse 61.

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