The body of a newborn baby has been found in a “safe haven” box at a hospital in Idaho, prompting an investigation.

Officers responded to Grove Creek Medical Center in Blackfoot in eastern Idaho, where a dead newborn baby girl was recovered from a state “safe haven” box on Oct. 13, local station KTVB7 reported. Safe haven boxes allow parents or caretakers the ability to safely surrender an infant and remain anonymous, but only when the baby is unharmed.

The infant was removed from the bassinet by Grove Creek medical staff very soon after being placed there, but they quickly realized the baby had “passed away long before being placed in the baby box,” according to a Wednesday social media post. 

“We’re incredibly grateful for our dedicated team, who responded within moments to the Safe Haven Baby Box alarm and gave their all in a heartbreaking situation,” Grove Creek wrote in the post. “Though this infant was already deceased when abandoned, our staff showed deep compassion and commitment to care. Their actions mean everything to us, and we’re so proud of the way they honor every life they touch.”

USA TODAY reached out to Twin Falls and Blackfoot police for further comment but didn’t immediately get a response on Wednesday.

Founder of ‘safe haven’ boxes ‘sick to my stomach’

Monica Kelsey, who founded Safe Haven Baby Boxes and was herself abandoned as an infant in 1973, said that her organization is fully cooperating with the investigation as authorities investigate how the baby died.

“We are heartbroken,” Kelsey said in a Facebook post, adding that the baby may have been dead for days. “I’m just sick to my stomach … This baby was in this box for literally one minute.”

She added that “it’s been devastating all around.”

In the statement she emphasized that the instance was “an illegal, deadly abandonment” as the infant was placed in the box while wrapped in a blanket with the placenta still attached.

The organization said it aims to end infant abandonment and protect women in crisis with the safe haven boxes. According to the group, at least 52 infants were “lovingly surrendered” at baby box locations since 2017. However, the organization promises to work with law enforcement to seek justice for violations of Safe Haven Law and any illegal abandonments.

“As the only organization that provides an anonymous surrender option, we are on the front lines of educating the public on how this program works,” Kelsey said in a statement. “We will continue to educate citizens on the stark differences between illegal abandonment and legal, safe surrender of an unharmed newborn.”

The Snake River in the Pacific Northwest was listed as the nation’s most endangered river, according to a report released by the environmental advocacy group American Rivers back in 2021. The river starts in Yellowstone National Park and forces its way through rocky terrain until meeting up with the Columbia River.

“Rarely has a river been in such need of bold, swift action than the Pacific Northwest’s Snake River,” American Rivers said in a statement. “Once the largest salmon producer in the Columbia River Basin, today Snake River salmon runs are at the brink of extinction. The loss of salmon is an existential threat to Northwest tribes who depend on the fish for their cultures and identities.”

While the salmon aren’t as plentiful in the river as they once were, golfers are enjoying the riverbank in impressive numbers, especially in the quaint paradise of Twin Falls, Idaho, where the river runs straight through the city.

More: The best public-access and private golf courses in Idaho, ranked

Canyon Springs Golf Course sits just along the banks of the Snake, offering 18 holes of golf and some spectacular views of the surrounding river valley. The original nine is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary while the second nine was added in 1987.

The area sits not far from where daredevil Evel Knievel attempted a famous jump back in 1974, when his parachute deployed as his customized rocket was still ascending and it pulled him out. He fell down the canyon and, thankfully, only suffered from some minor injuries.

Now, the nearby property is up for sale for the tidy sum of $18.5 million.

Here’s more from the listing at Zillow:

Recreation destination on the Snake River, spanning from Canyon Rim to Snake River, wrapping around Centennial Park. Features 200′ Perrine Coulee waterfall, geothermal aetesian well, 18-hole golf course, bar/restaurant/pro shop with stunning views of Snake River & Perrine Bridge. Idaho liquor license. Prime water rights, springs & aquaculture.

MISSOULA, Mont. — Idaho authorities say a sow grizzly bear has been shot and killed by a hunter near Mule Meadows on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, not far from the Montana state line.

According to a press release from Idaho Fish and Game, the incident occurred on Saturday evening, Oct. 26, when the hunter shot the grizzly in self-defense while it was charging him as he was elk hunting.

The hunter claimed as he was hiking through thick timber, the grizzly bear came out of the brush just a few yards away and immediately charged him.

The hunter immediately reacted by shooting and killing the bear with his hunting rifle from short range.

Once the hunter was in cell range he called the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident.

U.S. Forest Service law enforcement and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game were also dispatched and responded to the call. After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the hunter acted in self defense.

Full release:

On the evening of Oct. 26, a hunter shot and killed a sow grizzly bear in self-defense while it was charging him as he was elk hunting north of Kilgore near Mule Meadows on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

The hunter was hiking through thick timber when the grizzly came out of the brush only a few yards away, charging directly toward him. The hunter used his hunting rifle to shoot the bear, killing it at a very short distance and before it was able to make contact.

The hunter called the Clark County Sheriff’s Office to report the incident immediately after returning to cell coverage to report the incident. Forest Service Law Enforcement and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game were dispatched and responded to the call. After conducting a thorough investigation, it was determined that the hunter acted in self defense during a surprise encounter with the bear from a very close distance.

Grizzly bears are protected under State and Federal law, and Fish and Game reminds hunters that grizzly bears may be encountered in the Greater Yellowstone area and north Idaho, and they occasionally visit as far south as the Grangeville area and the Salmon area in central Idaho.

Here are some good reminders when hunting in grizzly country:

Carry bear spray and keep it accessible.

Hunt with partners and make each other aware of plans.

Look for grizzly bear sign, including fresh tracks. Let partners know if you do see sign.

Retrieve meat as quickly as possible.

Hang meat, food, and garbage at least 200 yards from camp and at least 10 feet off the ground.

When not actively hunting, make noise, especially around creeks and thick vegetation. Most attacks occur by inadvertently surprising a bear at close range.