An Idaho woman, aged 18, was recently arrested following an incident in which she is alleged to have left a deceased newborn in a Safe Haven Baby Box at a local hospital. The woman, identified as Angela N. Newberry, was charged with felony failure to report a death to law enforcement, as announced by the authorities.
The incident occurred on October 13, 2024, at the Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot, Idaho, approximately 250 miles east of Boise. The medical facility is equipped with a baby box that sets off an alarm when a child is placed inside.
On the day of the incident, the medical center staff responded promptly to the alarm. However, upon arrival, they discovered a grim scene. The infant was removed from the bassinet within a minute, but it was immediately apparent that the child had died before being placed in the baby box.
The Safe Haven Law in Idaho permits the surrender of an infant who is unharmed and healthy. As such, this incident did not constitute a legal surrender under state law, as it did not meet the criteria for Safe Haven surrender. The law allows custodial parents to surrender a newborn at one of the boxes within 30 days of the child’s birth without facing legal consequences.
The Blackfoot Police Department initially responded to the incident and launched a death investigation. However, the case was later transferred to the Twin Falls Police Department. After a thorough investigation spanning over a month, authorities identified Newberry as the individual who left the deceased baby.
Newberry was arrested in Twin Falls on a felony Bingham County arrest warrant for failing to report a death to law enforcement officials and the coroner. She has since been transported and booked into the Bingham County Jail.
Authorities have stressed that due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation and the potential for further criminal charges against Newberry, only limited information will be released to the public. The Safe Haven Baby Box at Grove Creek was installed in July and was the first of its kind in the state, allowing newborns to be left safely and anonymously.