Two infants were successfully surrendered recently in separate incidents at Indiana Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
The first infant was surrendered at the Cleveland Township baby box in Elkhart, while the second baby was saved at the Wayne Township fire station in Indianapolis. Exact surrender dates have not been given.
The Safe Haven Baby Box organization installs monitored, temperature-controlled boxes where parents can safely and anonymously surrender a child, per each state’s safe haven law. When a child is placed inside, an alarm is triggered, alerting help. The boxes are installed in places like fire stations, police stations, or hospitals so that emergency responders can tend to the infant immediately. The organization was founded by Monica Kelsey, who was herself abandoned as an infant, in an effort to curtail infant abandonment by offering parents a safe and anonymous alternative.
“We are very blessed that these mothers chose to lovingly and legally surrender their infant,” Kelsey said. “It is an act of sacrificial love for the best interest of the infant. These babies are so loved and are an answered prayer for adoptive families that will eagerly add them to their family.”
Members from both surrender communities spoke in praise of the boxes.
“Cleveland Township Fire Department is grateful that we were able to provide a safe venue and opportunity for a parent to safely surrender their infant. I am proud of the firefighters for their quick response and professionalism in dealing with this anonymous, lifesaving decision made by this parent,” said Cleveland Township’s fire chief Mark Travis.
“The crew immediately initiated transport to the hospital within minutes of receiving that alarm, and provided supportive care on the way to the hospital and transferred care upon arrival,” added Travis.
“We are happy to report that our Safe Haven Box received a surrendered child last week,” said Capt. Eric Banister with the Wayne Township fire department. “The system worked smoothly for the mother, the child, and the first responders that received the newborn. Seeing this valuable program work as designed, we encourage anyone in crisis to utilize this safe and legal service.”
These two surrenders mark the third and fourth Safe Haven Baby Box surrenders of the year. According to ABC 57, 21 of the 26 surrenders the organization has experienced since 2017 have taken place in Indiana.
