MOORESVILLE, IN — A second healthy baby was safely surrendered in a Safe Haven Baby Box this week, this time in northern Indiana.
The box, located at the Schererville Fire Station on Plum Creek Drive was the 66th baby box in the nation.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder Monica Kelsey and the Schererville Fire Department will hold a press conference on Wednesday to release additional details about the surrender.
The infant surrendered in northern Indiana is the second in a baby box in the past week in Indiana and the sixth in a baby box in Indiana this year.
Since the first Safe Haven Baby box was installed in Indiana, 20 infants have been placed safely in the boxes. Nationwide, the organization has assisted with 117 safe surrenders after calls to the Safe Haven Baby Box Hotline.
There are currently 111 Safe Haven Baby Boxes available in Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, and New Mexico.
Baby boxes are safe incubators that have alarm systems, so 911 is notified as soon as a baby is placed inside. The baby boxes also have heating and cooling features.
Once the infant is collected by first responders, they’re taken to the nearest medical facility to be evaluated.
Infants surrendered under Indiana’s Safe Haven Law are placed in the custody of the state’s Department of Child Services after they are released from the hospital. The process then begins to find an adoptive family within 30-45 days.
SHBB staffs a 24-hour Safe Haven hotline (1-866-99BABY1), so parents can talk to trained professionals and get more information about their options for surrendering or how to get assistance to help them be able to care for their child.
The SHBB hotline is staffed by licensed counselors.
The Safe Haven Law allows mothers to safely surrender their infants, anonymously, up to 30 days old
Under the Safe Haven Law, parents have up to 30 days to change their mind once they surrender an infant.
