Indiana teen recognized for funding Baby Box that saved infant’s life

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - A newborn baby girl is healthy after she was surrendered to firefighters in Seymour, Indiana.

The child, now named Mia, was dropped off at the Safe Haven Baby Box Thursday afternoon around 1:30 at Seymour Fire Station Number 3 off Meadowbrook Drive. Firefighters found the child within 60 seconds and quickly called an ambulance. Within minutes, she was en route to a nearby hospital where she received medical attention.

“This little girl yesterday was healthy, and she’s beautiful, and she’s going to make a set of parents in the state of Indiana very happy," Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey said.

On Friday, Kelsey partnered with Seymour’s fire chief for an afternoon news conference to give an update on Mia’s condition and to praise the teenager who was instrumental in bringing the Baby Box to the fire station.

“We took custody of the baby immediately," Chief Brad Lucas said. "Within a minute, we were giving the baby care. I’m happy the guys were here. They knew what to do. They performed as they should perform, and the system just worked perfectly.”

The Safe Haven Baby Box has been at Seymour Fire Station Number 3 since June. Thursday was the first time the box was used.

The project may not have ever come to fruition if not for Zachariah Wart, 19, who stumbled across Safe Haven Baby Boxes while listening to the radio two years ago.

“Well, I don’t have a senior project just yet, and those seem kind of special, so I should try to do one of those," Wart said.

From that moment, he went to work mowing lawns and scrapping metal and told WAVE 3 News he raised nearly $10,000.

“I’m just excited that I did it, because if it wasn’t here, we don’t know what would’ve happened to the child," Wart said.

On Friday, Seymour Mayor Matthew Nicholson recognized Wart for his work, who said he hopes to cross paths with Mia in the future.

“That’d actually be really cool if I get to meet her,” Wart said. “Just seeing how she grew up and knowing that she has a family that can take care of her.”

Kelsey also told WAVE 3 News she’s now re-focusing her attention on Mia’s mother, to get her any medical attention or emotional support.

“It’s great we have a baby in a box,” Kelsey said. “My focus is on the mom right now. I want to make sure that she goes to the hospital and gets medical attention. I want to make sure she gets counseling. I want to make sure we give her every resource available.”

According to Kelsey, Mia will remain at the hospital for a few days and then be turned over to Child Protective Services. The agency will then try to match her with adoptive parents.

Copyright 2020 WAVE 3 News. All rights reserved.