Santo Domingo, Ecuador, Dec 21, 2019 / 16:15 pm
A group of religious sisters in Santo Domingo, Ecuador has installed the country's first baby drop-off box, as an alternative to abortion for mothers who find themselves unable to care for their newborns.
The Missionary Benedictine inaugurated the country's first "Cradle of Life" baby drop-off box on Dec. 10 in Santo Domingo. The box is located in the exterior wall of their Happy Valley Home, a temporary shelter providing foster care for at-risk girls and adolescents.
The sisters will support babies left in the box for up to three months. If the mother wishes to come back for the baby, she can also receive support from the Happy Valley Home. If the mother does not return after three months, the baby will be given up for adoption.
Sister Carmela Ewa Pilarska, a member of the home's leadership team, said the project hopes to respond to cases of abandoned infants, such as those found occasionally in cardboard boxes or abandoned houses.