Parents in crisis now have another option to safely and anonymously surrender a newborn baby in Dallas County.
This week, the City of Rowlett dedicated the county's first Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station No. 1. The climate-controlled box provides a secure way for parents to surrender an infant under Texas' Baby Moses Law, which allows babies up to 60 days old to be legally and anonymously surrendered at designated emergency care locations.
Inside the box is a bassinet where a baby can be placed. Once the exterior door is closed, a silent alarm notifies firefighters and paramedics so the newborn can be quickly retrieved and receive medical care.
The project was championed by Rowlett resident Sarah McDermott, a nurse and mother, who said she wanted the city to have another option available before a tragedy ever occurred.
"Being a nurse and having small children, I just really didn't want this to be something we see here," McDermott said.
McDermott worked with city leaders to bring the box to the fire station. After the Rowlett City Council approved the project, Providence Church of Texas donated the $26,000 needed to purchase and install the box.
Rowlett Mayor Jeff Winget said he hopes the city's experience will serve as a prototype and encourage other communities like Dallas and Garland to invest in installing similar boxes.
"I'm hoping that Rowlett's experience with this will serve as that proof of concept for other communities to explore this as an option," Winget said. "I would hope every city would certainly look at funding something like this because honestly the cost of a life is worth way more than $25 or $30,000 that it might cost to install a Safe Haven baby box."
There are now nearly two dozen Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Texas and more than 400 nationwide.
Supporters say the boxes provide another lifesaving option for parents facing an overwhelming crisis and can help prevent unsafe infant abandonment. Critics argue the boxes are expensive, rely on private donations in many communities and do little to address the underlying circumstances that lead parents to surrender a child.
The Texas Tribune reported in 2022 that since 2009, just 172 babies had been left in Safe Haven boxes.
McDermott said she hopes the Rowlett box is never needed. But if it saves even one baby's life, she believes the investment will have been worth it.
Sujata Dand is KERA's early childhood education reporter. Got a tip? Email her at sdand@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
Copyright 2026 KERA News