A baby girl was dropped off at a fire station in Clermont, Florida 18 years ago as part of the state’s Safe Haven program aimed at saving the lives of newborn babies at risk of abandonment. The program allows parents to anonymously bring infants under a certain age to specific safe locations, rather than abandon them when they feel unable to parent. That baby girl, Colleen Katich, just graduated from high school, and was honored by the fire station on Facebook.
“[Eighteen] years ago, Colleen was dropped off at Station 112 in Clermont as part of the County’s ‘Safe Haven’ program,” wrote Lake County Fire Rescue. “Fast forward to now, she just graduated high school and is thriving! She was recently reunited with some of her heroes at Station 112 and even had an engine named after her! Join us in congratulating Colleen on her huge accomplishment. We are so proud of you!”
“They kept in touch with the fire station over the years. They would send us birthday cards, Christmas cards and we followed her progress as she was growing up,” said retired battalion chief Dan Miller of Lake County Fire Rescue.
According to WFTV9, Colleen plans to start cosmetology school in the fall.
There is a version of the Safe Haven law in every state. In Florida, parents can leave their newborn infant, no more than one week old, at a hospital, emergency medical service station, or fire station that is staffed with full-time emergency medical service technicians, paramedics, or firefighters. When a child is left, he or she receives emergency medical services, and authorities arrange for the child’s transport to the nearest hospital that provides emergency services. The child will be placed for adoption, and the birth parents will not face any charges relating to child abandonment.
Since its launch more than 20 years ago, Florida’s Safe Haven for Newborns has reportedly saved more than 400 babies.
