Neshoba General Unveils Safe Haven Baby Box
The hospital's new anonymous infant surrender box is the 13th of its kind in Mississippi.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Babies
Neshoba General Hospital in Meridian unveiled a Safe Haven Baby Box that allows parents to anonymously and legally surrender an infant. The box is the 491st of its kind in the United States and was funded by the Neshoba County Republican Women.
Why it matters
The box gives parents in crisis a safe, legal option for surrendering a newborn without disclosing their identity. Safe Haven Baby Boxes have been used to surrender 90 babies since 2016, and more Mississippi counties are planning similar installations.
The Neshoba General box is the 491st Safe Haven Baby Box in the United States and the 13th in Mississippi, with installation funded by the Neshoba County Republican Women. Since 2016, 90 babies have been surrendered through Safe Haven boxes nationally, though the extraction does not break out how many occurred in Mississippi.
The players
Neshoba General Hospital
A hospital in Meridian, Mississippi, serving Neshoba County and surrounding areas.
Neshoba County Republican Women
A local political organization whose fundraising paid for the installation of the baby box.
The details
The infant drop-off allows a parent to place a baby inside the box anonymously, providing a legal alternative to abandonment. The installation at Neshoba General Hospital in Meridian was funded through money raised by the Neshoba County Republican Women.
Timeline
Safe Haven Baby Box surrenders began in 2016.
Neshoba General Hospital unveiled its Safe Haven Baby Box on November 9, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The Neshoba General box extends the national Safe Haven Baby Box network, now at 491 installations, into central Mississippi. More Mississippi counties are planning their own boxes, suggesting the state is building out a statewide network of anonymous surrender options.
Parents in crisis who are considering surrendering an infant can use Safe Haven Baby Boxes as a legal, anonymous option instead of abandonment. Mississippi residents interested in the program can contact local hospitals and county officials about where boxes are located.
The takeaway
Safe Haven Baby Boxes give parents a legal, anonymous path to protect a newborn's safety, and their spread across Mississippi shows the option is becoming more widely available statewide.
Further reading
Explore more on Babies coverage across Mississippi.
