LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – With the blessing of three new Safe Haven Baby Boxes in central Kentucky, the state is now home to 35 locations where babies less than 30 days old can be safely, legally and anonymously surrendered by parents without fear of criminal prosecution.
After placing her baby in the climate-controlled, electronically monitored box and closing the door, the parent is free to leave without legal pursuit as the box automatically locks and triggers a series of silent alarms. An individual with emergency medical training is then able to respond within minutes and take custody of the infant for ongoing care.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which are often installed at fire, police or emergency medical stations, are intended to be a last resort option for parents in crisis.
Monica Kelsey’s mother didn’t have that option, and instead abandoned her two-hour old daughter. That’s why Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, is passionate about providing the resource to communities across the nation.
“When you have a parent that chooses something safe for their child, and basically says ‘I want what’s best for my child and it’s not me,’ that’s heroic,” Kelsey said at an event celebrating the baby box in Nicholasville on April 25.
“I truly believe this is going to be a great, life-saving tool for this community,” said Deputy Chief Josh Bolton of the Nicholasville Fire Department. “A child’s life is always precious, and everyone deserves a chance.”
The Safe Haven box installed at Nicholasville Fire Department Station 4 is the 222nd box nationwide. Another Safe Haven box was celebrated last week, this time in Louisville.
The box at Louisville Fire Station 10 is the ninth installed within city limits, and they have already saved at least one life — that of Samuel, who attended the April 23 event with his adopted mother.
“Baby Samuel is the reason we all fight,” Kelsey said. “This is the reason we do what we do — to make sure mom is safe and baby is safe.”
The third Safe Haven box installed in April is in Mt. Sterling at Montgomery County Fire EMS. It is now the eastern-most box in Kentucky.
“Eastern Kentucky has none,” said Zachary Adams, EMS supervisor at the fire department. “You look at Ashland, Morehead, Paintsville, Pikeville, all those — if they research this online, we will be the closest baby box to Eastern Kentucky and that’s a big deal…This is a positive step for Mt. Sterling and Montgomery County and all of Eastern Kentucky. We’re moving in the right direction.”
To learn more about Safe Haven Baby Boxes and locate one near you, visit shbb.org.
Friends of Life KY 