A newborn baby was left in Florida’s lone “safe haven baby box” for the first time after its installation in November 2020.
Inset into the wall of an Ocala fire station, the box is one of 134 Safe Haven boxes in the United States that allow parents to discreetly surrender unwanted children. Since the first rollout in November of 2017, they have been utilized 23 times.
Monica Kelsey, founder and chief executive officer of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, thanked the individual who utilized the box but did not identify the gender of the child or the date and hour of the drop-off in order to protect their anonymity.
Kelsey stated to NPR, “When we introduced this box in Florida, I knew it wasn’t a matter of if, but when.” This does not come as a shock.
All states in the United States have “safe haven” statutes that let mothers to surrender their infants to police without fear of criminal prosecution. In recent years, more than 10 states have passed legislation permitting the construction of baby boxes.
However, they have generated debate. The New York Times criticized the baby box in an August 2013 article, describing it as “a idea stretching back to medieval Europe.”
In addition, they were regarded as a “conservative” movement aimed to oppose abortion and emphasize adoption instead.
Kelsey stated on Thursday, ‘We wish to speak with the parent who legally surrendered this infant, and I will do so immediately.
‘Thank you. Thank you for safeguarding your child. Thank you for bringing your child to a location where you knew he or she would be cared for.
According to her website, Kelsey was inspired to launch the group after seeing a box in South Africa. She subsequently established the group in her home state of Indiana.
Clint Welborn, Ocala’s fire chief, stated, “The process and procedure were successful.”
The Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn also took the time during a news conference to encourage other cities to integrate the boxes into their hospitals or fire stations.
“I would advise mayors and municipal council members across the state of Florida to do it independently, just as we did,” he said.
When surrendering their infant, the parent lifts the metal door to see a climate-controlled space. As soon as they do, an alarm silently notifies authorities, so as not to surprise the parent.
Once the infant is placed inside and the door is closed, the door locks automatically, preventing the parent from reopening it. The infant can then be retrieved from a hospital or fire station.
Kelsey reports that the average duration a youngster spends in the box is less than two minutes. A Safe Haven box costs $10,000 and costs $200 each month to lease.
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