Calgary woman wants 'Angel Cradle' system for moms who need to give up babies
Edmonton has two 'Angel Cradles' attached to hospitals
A Calgary mother wants Alberta Health to establish a system in the city to help those who need to give up their newborn babies.
Trisha McIntosh says Angel Cradles should also be used in Calgary so there is an alternative for mothers, in the hopes less will be left cold and alone behind grocery stores. She has presented a petition signed by thousands of people to the government.
Edmonton has two so-called Angel Cradles run by Covenant Health, a Catholic health provider.
"Both Angel Cradles are located outside Emergency at the back of the hospitals. There is an Angel Cradle sign on a small door. Inside the door is a cradle that you put your baby in. Your baby will be safe," says the group's website.
Once a baby has been placed into an Angel Cradle, an alarm sounds to notify health-care staff after 30 seconds, who can then come to care for the child.
"As long as the baby is not harmed, we will not give any information to anyone that says who you are," Covenant Health added on its website.
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Alberta Health Services says there are a number of organizations that provide anonymous support to mothers wanting to give up their newborns.
McIntosh says while that's good, there should also be a last resort option.
For example, in 2017, Calgary police were called to a parking lot behind a grocery store after a passerby discovered the body of a newborn baby that had been left there alive.
Police believe the baby was not stillborn, that she was alive for some period of time before dying, but it's not yet known whether the infant was already dead when placed in the dumpster. Officials are still looking for the mother.
