Two More IN Departments Add Safe Haven Baby Boxes

Dec. 30, 2019
The New Haven-Adam Township Fire Department held a ceremony Sunday unveiling its newborn drop-off box, and Columbia City is set to open the 23rd box in Indiana.

Indiana has two more Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

The state’s 22nd box opened Sunday at the fire station at 910 Hartzell Road, and the 23rd was scheduled to open Monday in Columbia City.

Indiana’s The Safe Haven law allows people to anonymously surrender their healthy newborn without fear of criminal prosecution. Safe Haven Baby Box Inc. is a non-profit organization founded by Woodburn firefighter/medic Monica Kelsey, who was abandoned as an infant and is committed to ensuring the safety of newborns by installing more Safe Haven Baby Boxes in communities. The Safe Haven Baby Box organization also staffs a 24-hour National Crisis hotline (1-866-99BABY1) to give women the opportunity to talk to a trained licensed professional as they consider safely surrendering their newborn.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes cost roughly $10,000 to install and are equipped with alarm systems to notify 9-1-1 immediately. Safe Haven Baby Boxes also have heating and cooling features and lock as soon as the baby is placed inside.

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©2019 The News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Ind.)

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