Safe Haven Baby Box opens in Scottsburg

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) -A new Safe Haven Baby box location opened at Scott County EMS in Scottsburg, Indiana Thursday.

CEO Monica Kelsey of Safe Haven Baby Box said they’ve had a record number of babies dropped off at their baby box locations this year, and this is Indiana’s 85th baby box location. Kelsey said the past five days they’ve had two babies dropped off in Indiana.

Kelsey said she was 37-years old when she met her birth mother.

“I also learned, then that not only was I thrown away like trash, I was also whisked into this world by violence,” Kelsey said. ”I’ve been able to take what was done to me and turn it into something great for others.”

Kelsey said she made it her mission to ensure no baby feels unwanted, founding Safe Haven Baby Box Inc..

Their goal is to prevent parents from illegally abandoning their babies by offering drop off boxes as a last resort option for those wanting to remain anonymous.

The Baby Box has heating and cooling elements to provide comfort for the infant, along with silent alarms to notify first responders. The newborn is attended to within five minutes, medically evaluated at the hospital and adopted within 30 to 45 days.

”These ladies are heroes. They give life to the baby and then they are willing to surrender it in a baby box to give it a chance at life,” Rep Randy Frye, of the Indiana House of Representatives said.

Kelsey said she is not sure how the number of babies dropped off at baby boxes will be impacted with the recent Roe V. Wade decision.

”I don’t think we really know what this is going to look like for any of us. But I do want people to understand that we stand ready,” Kelsey said. “You know, hospitals, every hospital across America is a safe haven where a mother can walk in and hand her baby to a newborn and walk away.”

By the end of the year they expect to have 200 baby boxes across all their locations.

According to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, 20 infants have been placed in a Baby Box since November 2017.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes are currently available in Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky and New Mexico.

If you need help finding a Safe Haven location, or to speak to a licensed counselor, call the National Safe Haven crisis hotline at 1-866-99BABY1.

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