The Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office is working to bring the Magic Valley's first Safe Haven Baby Box to the Rock Creek Fire Station in Kimberly, a project officials say would offer a secure option for parents who feel they have nowhere else to turn with an unwanted newborn.
The box would be installed at the fire station at 1559 Main St. N in Kimberly. Twin Falls Sheriff Lieutenant Perry Barnhill said the option is meant for parents who cannot care for an infant for any reason, whether medical or financial, and that babies up to 30 days old could be surrendered safely.
The project traces back to a change in Idaho law. House Bill 1058, passed in July 2025, allowed communities across the state to begin installing Safe Haven baby boxes. Barnhill credited an eastern Idaho nurse for pushing the legislation forward, saying a nurse in Blackfoot worked with her legislators so that using such a box would no longer be treated as child abandonment. Until that change, he said, something like this was actually illegal in the state.
Since the law took effect, three baby boxes have been installed in Idaho, but none are anywhere near the Magic Valley. Barnhill said Blackfoot has one, Weiser has one, and another operates in northern Idaho, while the Twin Falls area and even Boise have nothing.
Rock Creek Fire Chief Arron Zent showed where the box would go at the Kimberly station. He said it would be placed in front of the building below a window, comparing it to a very large bank safety deposit box. Once an infant is placed inside and the box is pushed shut, an alarm would sound.
Because the station is staffed around the clock by trained emergency personnel, a surrendered infant would be transferred immediately to Saint Lukes in Twin Falls, and child welfare officials would be notified.
Barnhill emphasized that the process is completely anonymous for parents. He explained that opening the box releases a packet the parents can take with them, filled with resources on where to find counseling, and that it strongly encourages the mother to seek medical care.
The box carries a price tag of $18,000. A local contractor has already agreed to cover the cost of construction, but the project remains on hold until the rest of the money is raised.
To close the gap, Rock Creek and the Sheriff's Office are hosting a pancake breakfast and silent auction on November 14 at the Rock Creek Fire Station, running from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Barnhill said that once the fundraiser is finished and results come back from grants the office has applied for, officials will know where they stand. He said he hopes there will be enough money to bring the project to life sooner rather than later.
