Mass Grave for over 800 Children Uncovered at Orphanage in Ireland.

The subject line for this project is: "A voice to those unheard, a name to those time has lost." Since day one, since the first time I learned that thousands of the abandoned children died before they were ten years old, since the first time I realized that none of their stories had been passed on, this has been the intention of my project.

This week, at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Gallaway, a mass grave was discovered that is said to be the burial site of over 800 babies and young children. The human remains were thought to have been left in old sewage systems. Most of the children buried there are estimated to have perished in the 1950's.

The story is still unfolding but to read more click the following links:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/879a13dc886c458eb2a1b89bfdd2cc22/experts-find-mass-grave-ex-catholic-orphanage-ireland

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/03/mass-grave-baby-remains-found-ireland/98683548/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/03/mass-grave-of-babies-and-children-found-at-tuam-orphanage-in-ireland

Interested in how you can help share their stories and bring light to many of these mysteries? Share my posts, comment below, or visit the "Contact Us" section to send me a message.

Baby Boxes are Everywhere

The coolest part about the Innocents Project is the way that research seems to multiply. When I began this project, back in 2011 (!) there was almost nothing written about the Innocent children, their stories, or the boxes that were created for them. Slowly but surely, piece by piece, I found more relevant information. The most amazing timeline coincidence, though, was that baby boxes began re-opening around the same time that I began writing about them! Check out this amazing video below which shows how they are used in some countries in Africa today.

https://www.facebook.com/ajplusenglish/videos/906821606126014/?autoplay_reason=all_page_organic_allowed&video_container_type=0&video_creator_product_type=2&app_id=2392950137&live_video_guests=0

*Note: These boxes are always set up with good intentions but some of the unintended consequences can be frightening...but that's a post for another day. Stay tuned!

**Second Note: Tell me what you want to see on this blog! Are you looking for more information? Samples of my writing? Comment below!

What is Infanticide? An FAQ

The spike in infanticide numbers between 2006 and 2007 was the primary reason for the re-opening of "the baby boxes," a tool utilized in the middle ages to care for and nurture children who would have otherwise been abandoned in the street or killed.

The questions surrounding infanticide rates and the effectiveness of the boxes are innumerable but today, to answer a few of your questions, we are posting an FAQ dealing with infanticide and the mysteries surrounding the practice.

1) What constitutes as infanticide?

Infanticide is defined as: "the crime of killing a child within a year of birth" or "the killing of one's own child." It is true that infanticide is most often committed by the parent of the deceased child. In ancient times, some forms of infanticide were permissible. Female infanticide has been seen in countries where male babies are considered "more valuable." Mothers are exponentially more commonly the perpetrators in an infanticide case.

2) Which countries have the highest rates of infanticide?

Rates of infanticide have fluctuated due to social situations and cultural beliefs. In general, China and India commonly have high rates of infanticide due to gender preference within society. In countries where the baby boxes were reinstated in Europe, infanticide was increasing to as many as 10 reported deaths per month.

3) What are the primary causes of infanticide?

Causes of infanticide vary significantly. Currently, one of the most prevalent causes is the preference for baby boys in Western culture. At the moment, females have double the chance of dying during their first year than males. Other common causes include financial instability, an unwillingness to care for the child, or unfavorable home circumstances. During times of slavery, infanticide was common (as discussed in Toni Morrison's novel, Beloved) due to women being desperate to protect their child from slavery. 

4) Since the re-opening of the boxes, have infanticide numbers decreased?

No. 

Have more questions? We listen! Comment below and we will address your question in the next FAQ!

Join Our Mission

To my Innocents Community,

The unbelievable scope of readership, outreach, and enthusiasm since we started this project has been outstanding.  It is because of your questions and your desire to get involved and to give a voice to those unheard that we are able to announce...WE ARE HIRING!

The Innocents Project is officially searching for the following positions:

Financial Manager

Media Manager

Research Specialist

Outreach Specialist

If you, or anyone you know is interested, please email us through the "Contact Page" with a resume or with your questions.

We look forward to hearing from all of you and keep an eye out for more exciting news soon!

The Rebirth of the Baby Box

A box hidden down the back alley of an abandoned road.  A desperate mother afraid to be shamed.  A wailing child with nowhere to go.

Does all of this sound archaic to you?  

The first response to The Innocents Project is usually astonishment.  I get reactions like "Did that actually happen?" or "How did I not know?" But the most common question I receive is, "That doesn't still happen today, right?"

Actually, it does.  Very frequently, in fact.  Below, I have included a list of countries and the number of baby boxes currently in existence in each location.  Called the baby box, baby hatch, Culla per La Vita, BabyWiege, and more, these boxes all function in relatively the same way.  They are located within the walls of a hospital or safe haven and the path to the box is often hidden for the sake of anonymity.  

Want to read more? Stay tuned for my full article on the current international baby box situation or visit the Contact Us page located in the top right hand corner of the page.

An Ancient Baby Box in Venice

Baby Boxes By Country:

USA: 2      

Belgium: 1

Canada: 1

Czech Republic: 44

Germany: 99

Hungary: 26

Italy: 8

Lithuania: 8

Malaysia: 1

Netherlands: 1

Poland: 45

Slovakia: 16

Switzerland: 1

Vatican: 1

Researching in Barcelona

This incredible project began in Venice and has taken me all over the world!  Two years after beginning my research, I found the Casa de la Misericordia in Barcelona, the old property which housed the orphanage, baby deposit box, church, school, and more.

Every single baby deposit box and orphanage is different.  They had different systems, different locations to raise the children, different infant mortality rates, and more.  The baby deposit box in Barcelona is called, in Catalan, "El Torn Dels Orfes" or "the Orphan's hole."  The original baby deposit box was installed in Barcelona in 1583 and was moved to its current location in the mid-19th century.

El Torn Dels Orfes in Barcelona

Today, the sight of El Torn dels Orfes is a government building but the deposit box (or wheel, as the Barcelona one functioned) and its donation slot beside it are preserved as historical artifacts.  It is still possible to enter the building where the orphanage was located or the church where many of the children later served as clergy, but these sights are hidden within contemporary art museums and spaces for exhibitions.

A sign for "La Iglesia de La Misericordia" or the church of mercy where the Innocents were taken.

The wheel in Barcelona was closed in 1931, later than most of the baby deposit boxes in Europe. As such, many of the facilities and locations are well preserved as opposed to other cities where these artifacts were either removed or deliberately hidden.