Tragic discovery of ‘Baby Eve’ in 2017 inspires safe surrender locations

Please be aware that this story contains content that may not be appropriate for all ages and includes details of the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby. Minors and those particularly sensitive to the loss of young life are cautioned to take discretion.

On Christmas Eve of 2017, while many families gathered to commemorate the birth of Jesus, a tragedy was unfolding in the Calgary community of Bowness as a newborn baby was found deceased and discarded in a dumpster.

In response to this tragic event, individuals who were personally affected by the story of the baby who came to be known as ‘Eve’, and others who heard of her story in the news, were moved to take action to ensure this wouldn’t happen again. Through their efforts, Hope’s Cradle was created to tackle the issue of unsafe abandonment.

Hope’s Cradle is a safe surrender program that allows mothers and fathers to leave a baby that they are unable to care for inside a closely monitored drop-off location anonymously, with the knowledge that professionals will take care of their child.

While these safe drop-off cradles are not uncommon globally, they are rarely found in Canada. So, with Calgary receiving its first Hope’s Cradle location, we joined some of the people involved in creating these safe surrender sites to learn about their involvement.

Retired 25-year veteran of the Calgary Police Service and former homicide detective Dave Sweet, one of the first investigators on the scene when baby Eve was discovered, shared his experience that day and provided us with invaluable insight on just how common tragic child abandonments are. Sweet has been instrumental in establishing safe surrender locations and is a board member at Gems for Gems, one of the organizations behind Hope’s Cradle.

Rebel News was also joined by Jordan Guildford, the founder of Gems for Gems, who discussed her involvement, the circumstances which can drive parents to surrender their children and some of the logistics behind what happens when a baby is surrendered.

Baby Eve’s passing is certainly a tragedy, but her legacy lives on with each life saved by the safe surrender locations that she inspired.