South Dakota Welcomes First Safe Haven Baby Box in Rapid City

The state's new law allows for anonymous baby surrenders at fire stations, hospitals, and police departments.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 1:26am

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a Safe Haven Baby Box icon repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant, and unnatural neon color palettes overlapping with heavy black photographic outlines to turn this life-saving device into modern pop art.The installation of South Dakota's first Safe Haven Baby Box in Rapid City represents a compassionate new option for mothers in crisis.Mitchell Today

South Dakota has installed its first Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 1 in Rapid City, providing a safe and anonymous option for mothers who feel they cannot care for their newborns. The implementation of the baby box comes after the tragic discovery of an abandoned baby in Sioux Falls in 2024, which led the state to pass legislation allowing these devices. The dedication ceremony was attended by over 100 people, including the state's governor and the town's mayor.

Why it matters

Safe Haven Baby Boxes offer a compassionate alternative to infant abandonment, allowing mothers in crisis to safely and anonymously surrender their newborns. The boxes are part of a growing national movement to provide this option in more states, with South Dakota becoming the 21st state to implement the program. This helps address the issue of infant abandonment and ensures the wellbeing of vulnerable newborns.

The details

The Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 1 in Rapid City was incorporated into the station's recent renovations and additions. Fire Chief Jason Culberson said the department thought it was a 'great idea' to have the box as a 'final line of defense' for mothers in crisis. While Rapid City has not had any incidents of infant abandonment, the box provides an important option should the need arise.

  • In 2024, an abandoned baby named Gabriel James was found deceased at a Sioux Falls recycling facility, spurring the state to pass legislation allowing Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
  • In 2025, South Dakota passed a law permitting the use of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which allow mothers to anonymously surrender their newborns up to 60 days old.
  • On March 17, 2026, a new Safe Haven Baby Box was installed at a hospital emergency room in Nolensville, Tennessee.
  • On March 19, 2026, another Safe Haven Baby Box was dedicated in Missouri.
  • In late February 2026, South Dakota placed its first Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 1 in Rapid City.

The players

Jason Culberson

The fire chief of the Rapid City Fire Department, which installed the first Safe Haven Baby Box in South Dakota.

Monica Kelsey

The founder and president of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a nonprofit organization that has helped implement the baby box program in 21 states across the U.S.

Gabriel James

An abandoned baby found deceased at a Sioux Falls recycling facility in 2024, which spurred South Dakota to pass legislation allowing Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

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What they’re saying

“A fire station is a safe place, and we're honored by that trust. Moms can drop off newborn babies anytime, although we've never had that. And thank goodness we've never had any abandoned period [in Rapid City]. When the law changed about two years ago, it allowed for the use of baby boxes in the state of South Dakota.”

— Jason Culberson, Fire Chief, Rapid City Fire Department

“It's making an impact in South Dakota.”

— Monica Kelsey, Founder and President, Safe Haven Baby Boxes

What’s next

The towns of Mitchell and Sioux Falls in South Dakota may be next to add Safe Haven Baby Boxes following the installation in Rapid City.

The takeaway

The implementation of South Dakota's first Safe Haven Baby Box in Rapid City represents an important step in providing a compassionate and anonymous option for mothers in crisis, helping to address the issue of infant abandonment and ensure the wellbeing of vulnerable newborns.