Three newborn babies were safely surrendered through Safe Haven Baby Boxes over the course of a single week, officials said, marking a notable series of anonymous handoffs through the child-safety program.
One infant was placed Monday inside the climate-controlled Safe Haven Baby Box at the Woodlands Fire Department in Texas, the department confirmed.
Two additional newborns were also surrendered at locations connected to the Safe Haven Baby Boxes network, though those sites have not yet been publicly identified, founder Monica Kelsey told The Daily Mail.
‘Some fire departments choose to share the news right away, while others prefer to wait days or even weeks before making an announcement.
‘At this time, the other two locations have not yet made their announcements, and we respect their timeline and decision-making process,’ she added.
At the Woodlands Fire Department, staff members followed the required safety procedures before the newborn was transported to a nearby hospital for a medical assessment.
When a baby is placed inside one of the boxes, a silent alarm immediately alerts firefighters, allowing them to respond within minutes while preserving the anonymity of the person surrendering the child.
The Safe Haven Baby Box at the Woodlands Fire Department was installed last year.
Surrendered infants are typically adopted by a family a little more than a month after they are dropped off. The organization is not involved in that process, state authorities are, Kelsey said.
Three babies were safely dropped off inside Safe Haven Baby Boxes in one week. Above, the founder of the organization, Monica Kelsey, holding a newborn last year
‘This Safe Haven Baby Box exists for moments exactly like this,’ Woodlands Fire Department Chief Palmer Buck said.
‘Today, a baby is safe because someone chose a secure and legal option during what was undoubtedly a difficult situation. We are grateful the system worked as intended and that the baby is now receiving the care they need.’
‘The most difficult thing… was convincing the firefighters that they had given the baby enough hugs,’ the chief added.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a nonprofit organization, was created by Kelsey in 2015.
The founder was abandoned as a child after her birth mother was reportedly raped and decided not to keep her baby, leaving Kelsey parentless at an Ohio hospital two days after she was born, according to the Safe Haven website.
She was inspired to invent the boxes after traveling to Cape Town, South Africa, and seeing it in action for the first time.
‘The experience, coupled with her own history as an abandoned infant, ignited a profound and new sense of purpose for her,’ says the organization’s website.
‘Determined to make a difference, Monica founded Safe Haven Baby Boxes, transforming her personal journey into a mission to save lives and support mothers in crisis.’
There are more than 440 Safe Haven Baby Boxes installed at fire stations and hospitals in 23 US states. Since 2015, about 60 babies have been safely surrendered.
After a baby is placed inside, firefighters are immediately notified by a silent alarm and respond within minutes while still respecting the anonymity of the person surrendering the child
Indiana, where the organization is based, has the largest number of boxes, with more than 140 statewide.
They are installed on a wall where the public can access them from one side and first responders can open them from the other.
The outer door locks from the outside after the door closes and immediately alerts rescuers when a baby is placed inside.
The company also offers a 24-hour hotline for mothers in crisis, and provides the closest baby box drop-off locations – a fire station, hospital, or EMS center.
Kelsey previously told the Daily Mail that the organization tries to help people in any way they can.
‘If a woman calls us from the state of Washington today, obviously there’s no boxes in that area, so we are going to try and get her to walk in and hand that child to a person because she doesn’t have an option of anonymity,’ she said.
And even if baby boxes are available, parents still have the option to surrender their child in-person.
Kelsey also offers training based on Safe Haven laws for states that do not have any baby boxes.
Surrendered infants are typically adopted by a family a little more than a month after they are dropped off in the temperature-controlled box
‘We will come in and do the training on Safe Haven for them, teaching them what to say to a mom who walks in and hands a child to them, and what not to say to her, and the way you need to make her feel.
‘The worst thing that we can do is shame a parent, or judge a parent that walks in and does the right thing.’
The boxes do not require FDA approval since they are not a medical device. However, the boxes are expensive, with one costing upwards of $20,000.
Kelsey explained that they are funded through private donors.
The Daily Mail contacted Safe Haven Baby Boxes for comment.
