Safe Haven Baby Box Installed at South Oldham Fire Department
On September 24th 2021 South Oldham Fire Department Station 1 went live with the 81st Safe Haven Baby Box in the country located in Crestwood. This baby box is the 4th installed in Kentucky.
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On March 25, 2021, Governor Andy Beshear, signed House Bill 155, expanding the Safe Haven Law in Kentucky to allow for safe surrender of a baby anonymously in newborn safety devices at hospitals and fire stations across Kentucky. This gives mothers and parents in crisis another safe option if they can not care for their infant. Representative Nancy Tate fought hard to get House Bill 155 passed, as well as Kentucky Local Teen Isabella Lamkin, who formed a petition to get the Baby Box Bill passed. Isabella was abandoned as a child and has been very vocal in support of the Safe Haven laws, as well as the efforts of Safe Haven Baby Boxes.
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WHAT IS A BABY BOX?
A Baby Box is a safety device provided for under Kentucky’s Safe Haven Law and legally permits a mother in crisis to safely, securely, and anonymously surrender if they are unable to care for their newborn. A Baby Box is installed in an exterior wall of a designated fire station or hospital. It has an exterior door that automatically locks upon placement of a newborn inside the Baby Box, and an interior door which allows a medical staff member to secure the surrendered newborn from inside the designated building.
A Baby Box is a safety device provided for under Kentucky’s Safe Haven Law and legally permits a mother in crisis to safely, securely, and anonymously surrender if they are unable to care for their newborn. A Baby Box is installed in an exterior wall of a designated fire station or hospital. It has an exterior door that automatically locks upon placement of a newborn inside the Baby Box, and an interior door which allows a medical staff member to secure the surrendered newborn from inside the designated building.
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Mission Statement - Safe Haven Baby Boxes mission is to prevent illegal abandonment of newborns by raising awareness, offering a 24-hour hotline for mothers in crisis and offering a last resort option for women. Brief History - Founder, Monica Kelsey, started Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. after learning she was abandoned as an infant and after seeing a "baby box" in operation at a church, in Cape Town, South Africa. She has made it her personal mission to educate others on the Safe |
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Haven Law and to do whatever it takes to save the lives of innocent babies from being abandoned. The Safe Haven Baby Box takes the face to face interaction out of the surrender and protects the mother from being seen.
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization's primary goal is to raise awareness of the Safe Haven Law. Women in crisis can call the 24 hour hotline and can receive counseling and assistance. To date, the hotline has received over 5,000 calls from every state in the United States. Safe Haven Baby Boxes has referred over 500 women to crisis pregnancy centers, assisted in 7 adoption referrals, and have had 100 legal Safe Haven surrenders. Eleven babies have been surrendered in one of our baby boxes. Three babies were surrendered to firefighters at Safe Haven Baby Box locations. Since April 2016, when the first box was installed, there have been no dead abandoned infants in the state of Indiana.
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes organization's primary goal is to raise awareness of the Safe Haven Law. Women in crisis can call the 24 hour hotline and can receive counseling and assistance. To date, the hotline has received over 5,000 calls from every state in the United States. Safe Haven Baby Boxes has referred over 500 women to crisis pregnancy centers, assisted in 7 adoption referrals, and have had 100 legal Safe Haven surrenders. Eleven babies have been surrendered in one of our baby boxes. Three babies were surrendered to firefighters at Safe Haven Baby Box locations. Since April 2016, when the first box was installed, there have been no dead abandoned infants in the state of Indiana.
Installation of Crestwood, Kentucky Baby Box at South Oldham Fire Department
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A SPECIAL THANKS TO. . .
The Crestwood, Kentucky Baby Box installed at South Oldham Fire Department was made possible by he following: Crestwood Civic Club
Layne Contracting & APR Builders
Crestwood Christian Church
All State Ready Mix - LaGrange, KY
Knights of Columbus - Council 14404
Anonymous Donors in Our Community
DGE Quilting Group
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