A baby girl was safely surrendered at the Kokomo Safe Haven Box in Indiana, located at Kokomo Fire Station #1. This is the fifth baby saved in Indiana this year by Safe Haven Boxes and the 12th baby in the country in 2023.
In all 50 states, Safe Haven Laws allow parents who may not be able to care for their child to safely place him or her in the care of those at a fire station, hospital, or police station with 24-7 employees within a certain amount of time after birth.
The Safe Haven Baby Boxes are designed like incubators equipped with alarm systems, providing a secure space for mothers who find themselves unable to care for their newborns. When a baby is placed in the box, emergency services are immediately alerted.
“The Mother lovingly made the decision to make sure her daughter was safe and given excellent medical care by the Kokomo Firefighters and St Vincent/Ascension Paramedics,” said Kokomo Fire Chief Chris Frazier.
“Although these are hard choices to make, we applaud the mother for giving her daughter the chance at life through an anonymous, safe and legal option.”
READ: Fire Station’s Baby Box Saves Newborn in Arkansas
The Kokomo Fire Department installed this Safe Haven Baby Box on June 11, 2020, with the help of funding from the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic men’s organization.
Authorities say the baby, a newborn girl, was several days old when she was placed anonymously in the box at Kokomo Fire Department’s Station 1, at about 6:30 a.m. on July 17.
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“The guys who came down, they said they turned the corner and saw some arms moving around and realized they have a baby in the box,” Frazier said via phone to The Kokomo Post.
Firefighter James Shaffer was the first on the scene to find the baby, calling it “an honor.”
“As soon as I got the baby in my arms, I just wanted to protect her,” Shaffer reflected. “Now she’s safe. She doing to have a good life ahead of her.”
The box also included a note from the child’s mother.
The Department of Child Services is now working to place the baby in foster care or find a family to adopt her, Frazier added.
Safe Haven Laws have saved over 4,500 infant lives nationwide over the past two decades, providing a crucial avenue for parents who may find themselves in difficult situations and in need of a safe and anonymous option to ensure their child’s well-being.