The 16th instance in 2023 occurred when a healthy newborn was safely surrendered at Schererville Fire Department #2 earlier this week. This marks the second time a baby has been surrendered at this particular station.
Seven babies have been safely surrendered via Baby Boxes in Indiana so far in 2023, according to the organization.
“Wow, we are so grateful to this birth mother for bravely and sacrificially choosing what she believes to be best for her baby,” Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey said. “We are honored that she trusted our program to protect her and her infant. We are seeing record numbers of mothers needing our program and we are so eager to meet their needs and be prepared. There is a real beauty in seeing the families made with these babies adopted by amazing families. It is a real chance to rewrite tragedy into a blessing.”
Abandoned as a baby herself, Kelsey has committed her life to assisting mothers in crisis, providing them with a secure and confidential means to surrender their infants without the fear of persecution or judgment.
What is a Safe Haven Baby Box?
Baby boxes are safe incubators that have alarm systems, so 911 is notified as soon as a baby is placed inside. The baby boxes also have heating and cooling features.
Once the infant is collected by first responders, they’re taken to the nearest medical facility to be evaluated.
Upon surrender under Indiana’s Safe Haven Law, infants are placed in the custody of the state’s Department of Child Services once discharged from the hospital. Subsequently, the process initiates to locate an adoptive family within a timeframe of 30-45 days.
How do Safe Haven Baby Boxes work?
Safe Haven Hotline
The boxes make the news, but the Safe Haven Hotline is where most of these journeys begin.
SHBB staffs a 24-hour Safe Haven hotline (1-866-99BABY1), so parents can talk to trained professionals and get more information about their options for surrendering or how to get assistance to help them be able to care for their child.
The SHBB hotline is staffed by licensed counselors.
The Safe Haven Law allows mothers to safely surrender their infants, anonymously, up to 30 days old
Under the Safe Haven Law, parents have up to 30 days to change their mind once they surrender an infant.
Florida firefighter adopts baby left in “Safe Haven Baby Box” at Ocala fire station.
Remarks from the unveiling & blessing of Conway’s first Safe Haven Baby Box