BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Bowling Green, Kentucky had its second baby surrendered this year at a Safe Haven Baby Box.
Earlier this week, a healthy newborn was placed in a baby box at the Bowling Green Fire Department.
This is the 15th location in Kentucky to install one. The fire department received one in December 2022.
According to a press release, the baby box worked "exactly as designed" and the newborn was pulled from the baby box in just over 4 minutes.
"Kentucky has made anonymous surrender a priority through our program and has seen the benefit of being prepared to serve the vulnerable," Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey said.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are temperature-controlled and sound an alarm to alert firefighters when an infant is placed inside. The baby is then retrieved within three minutes or less, officials said. Once taken out of the box, the baby is checked by medics, taken to the hospital, and then placed with a family who will adopt the baby.
"We are thankful for the birth mother who loved her infant and we know that this baby will quickly be adopted by a family who has been eagerly awaiting this call. It is turning a tough situation into a beautiful family," Kelsey said. "We truly are changing the narrative on safe surrender."
This is the third newborn this year in Kentucky who has been saved via the baby box program, and the 13th newborn this year nationally. The first surrender in a baby box happened in 2017, and now a total of 34 babies have been placed in a baby box since then.
There are currently 151 baby boxes across Indiana, Arkansas, Ohio, Kentucky, Florida, New Mexico, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes also provides a 24 hour hotline with counseling on the Safe Haven Law for the U.S.
If you need to speak to a licensed counselor call the National Safe Haven crisis hotline at 1-866-99BABY1.
To find a Safe Haven Baby Box location, click here.
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