In the early hours of Wednesday, a baby was left in a baby box in Prague’s district of Liben. Baby boxes are climate-controlled, safe places for mothers to discreetly go with their infants. The founder of the Czech baby box network, Ludvik Hess, reported the incident. Hess stated that the baby was a girl and was taken by ambulance to Motol Hospital.
This is the 253rd baby to be left in a baby box in the Czech Republic. The country has 80 such boxes, with the first opening in 2005. The baby box in the Liben district was opened in 2020. Since the beginning of the baby boxes, 139 girls and 114 boys have been left in them.
The Czech baby box network’s mission is to provide a haven for newborns who might otherwise be abandoned or put at risk. The boxes are equipped with alarms alert staff when a baby has been left inside. Medical professionals are on hand to care for the infants when they are found.
This incident highlights the importance of baby boxes as a safe alternative for mothers unable or unwilling to care for their newborns. It also draws attention to the need for continued support and funding for the Czech baby box network.
As of now, the identity of the mother and the circumstances surrounding the baby’s abandonment is unknown. The police are investigating the incident.
In light of this event, it is crucial to continue raising awareness about the Czech baby box network and the resources available to mothers in need. It is also important to emphasize the importance of non-judgmental support for mothers during and after their pregnancies.
The baby girl found in the Liben district baby box is now in the care of medical professionals. We think about her and all the infants left in baby boxes in the Czech Republic and worldwide.