GREENFIELD — The City of Greenfield opened their very first Safe Haven Baby Box over the weekend.
The baby box is located at 210 W. New Rd., which is the Greenfield Fire Territory Station No. 422.
The dedication was on Feb. 18 and included a blessing along with a speech from Mayor Chuck Fewell.
The baby box was made possible through a partnership between the Life Choices Care Center and the family of a local hospital employee. Together they worked to raise more than $20,000 for the installation of the box.
The box is dedicated to Trisha Dillman, a Greenfield resident who spent 25 years as a NICU nurse before dying from COVID in January 2022.
Dillman loved working with babies and mothers. Her family says the box will be a way to keep her legacy alive.
Since 2017, 21 babies have been surrendered in baby boxes in Indiana. There are now 26 boxes statewide and 134 nationwide.
What is a Safe Haven Baby Box?
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.
READ | Meet Grace: One of Indiana's Safe Haven babies
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.
-
IMPD: Man killed in shooting on east side of Indianapolis
Indianapolis metro police responded to the report of a person shot at an apartment complex on the 6000 block of Windsor Drive at around 9 p.m.
Community reacts to extended summer curfew
The Indianapolis City-County Council has approved a plan to tighten youth curfew hours with the goal of improving safety across the city.
Woman dead after crashing into tree in Indianapolis
IMPD said at approximately 4:51 p.m., officers responded to a report of a personal injury crash in the 3200 block of Guion Road, which is right off West 32nd Street.
Trump-backed candidates win majority of GOP primary races for Indiana Senate
Politicos were keeping an eye on eight Indiana Senate races in which Republicans faced each other, and the congressional primaries for both the GOP and Democrats.