POSEY COUNTY — Indiana's eighth Safe Haven Baby Box went live in the western part of the state on Tuesday.
The box in Mount Vernon is the first in the area and is one of several expected to be installed in the state of Indiana this month.
Monica Kelsey says Safe Haven Baby Boxes are expected to go live in at least three different locations in the next two months, including one in central Indiana. The location of those boxes is generally not released until they are installed and ready to go live.
READ | Two newborns surrended in less than a week under Safe Haven Law in northern Indiana
Safe Haven currently has baby boxes installed in the following areas in Indiana:
- Woodburn, Indiana
- Chesterton, Indiana
- Michigan City, Indiana (2)
- Carmel, Indiana
- Decatur Township, Indiana
- North Vernon, Indiana
Last year, three infants were surrendered in Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana.
READ | Newborn surrendered to Decatur Twp. fire station | What happens to Indiana's 'Safe Haven' babies?
The goal of Safe Haven Baby Boxes is to make it so mothers have a safe place to surrender their newborns anonymously.
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.
Indiana's Safe Haven law allows people to anonymously surrender their healthy infants at any fire station in the state without fear of criminal prosecution.
The Safe Haven Baby Box organization also staffs a 24-hour hotline (1-866-99BABY1), so parents can talk to trained professionals about possibly surrendering their baby. You can also visit the Safe Haven Baby Box website for more information including locations.
