Franciscan Health Hospital in Hammond, Indiana recently installed a Safe Haven Baby Box. Less than a month after installing the Baby Box, the Hospital received a healthy, newborn baby girl. When an infant is placed in the box, the box is designed to set off an alarm. ABC7 Chicago reported that the baby was placed in the box and less than ninety seconds later the emergency department of the hospital responded.
Monica Kelsey is the founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Kelsey was herself adopted, and learned years later that she was also abandoned as a newborn. While at a church in Cape Town, South Africa, Kelsey first received inspiration for Safe Haven Baby Boxes, upon observing a baby box where parents could discreetly drop off their newborn babies without facing judge mental interactions from others. After seeing this idea in action in South Africa, Kelsey decided to start Safe Haven Baby Boxes, to enable mothers to give away the care of their child to someone else without facing legal repercussions and enduring the stigmas associated with publicly giving up one’s child.
Of the newborn recently placed in the hospital baby box at Franciscan Health Hospital in Hammond, Indiana, Kelsey said, “That is my hope and my goal for this little girl, is to grow up knowing she was loved from the beginning. Her mom just felt that this was best for her, and hopefully one day she changes the world and does something amazing.”
This story of this infant’s rescue could have all-too-easily had a much more tragic ending. Live Action News notes:
The story of this newborn safely delivered to authorities is a contrast to many recent stories that could have ended tragically. Over the summer, one newborn baby girl was found abandoned in the woods in a plastic bag in Georgia. Another baby girl, likely just hours old, was found naked in the woods of Silver Spring, Maryland. In both cases, the babies were rescued when passersby heard crying and investigated. Tragically, many cases of abandoned newborns do not end with the child safely rescued.
Indiana currently has safe haven laws in place allowing parents to place a newborn in care of a hospital emergency room, police, or fire station without being forced to answer any questions or face any legal consequences. The story of the newborn being safely delivered to the Safe Haven Baby Box in Hammond, Indiana proves the value of these life-saving laws. For information about Safe Haven Laws in your specific state visit Baby Safe Haven or call toll-free 1-888-510-BABY.
