In Blansko, a baby boy named David was placed in a baby box this Monday, marking the eighth child to be left in these special boxes this year and the 254th overall in the Czech Republic. Ludvík Hess, the founder of the Baby Box network, shared this information with the Czech News Agency (ČTK).

David was discovered wrapped in a pale blue blanket with a white cap on his head. According to Hess, the seemingly healthy boy, with a treated umbilical cord, weighed 2500 grams. Medical rescuers took David to the Children’s Hospital in Brno since the Blansko hospital lacks a children’s department.

The Blansko baby box has been in operation since March 2018, and David is the second child placed in it. Hess mentioned that on December 5, 87 baby boxes will be opened in South Moravia.

Baby boxes, also known as baby hatches, provide a safe and anonymous method for mothers in desperate situations to leave their unwanted babies. Positioned to be accessible from the outside, these climate-controlled boxes trigger an alarm when a child is placed inside, alerting staff.

The design of the boxes ensures that individuals placing the child can do so without fear of being observed. Critics argue that baby boxes may violate some articles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the right to a name, identity, nationality, and the right to know one’s parents. However, the primary purpose of baby boxes is to prevent the endangerment of the health and lives of unwanted children, offering a compassionate alternative for mothers facing challenging circumstances.

Article by Prague Forum