An Indiana teen who mowed lawns and collected scrap metal to erect a baby drop box at his local fire station just helped to save a life.
The Tribune reports a baby girl was placed in the safe haven baby box Thursday at the Seymour Fire Station 3 in Seymour, Indiana. Firefighters said the box immediately alerted them about the baby girl, and they took her to a local hospital for treatment.
“The baby was transferred to the hospital and is doing great,” Fire Chief Brad Lucas said. “We are proud to have this resource available for the residents of Seymour. We strive every day to ensure the safety of our residents, and this is just a way to ensure the safety of newborns.”
Local authorities said the baby was just a few hours old, and she is doing well in the hospital.
Baby boxes help protect newborn babies from abandonment and infanticide. All 50 states have safe haven laws that allow mothers in crisis to drop off a newborn at a hospital, police or fire station with no questions asked as long as the baby is unharmed.
This particular box was the senior project of Hunter Wart in 2019 at Columbus North High School, according to the report. The teen raised $10,000 by mowing laws and collecting scrap metal to buy the box and have it installed at the Seymour Fire Station, the report continues. It was installed in June.
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“I’m glad that the mother brought her baby safely to the baby box, and I want my hard work to pay off for a long time,” Hunter told the local news. “This is the first baby to have been surrendered to this box, and she will be now be known as Baby Mia.”
Baby Mia is in the custody of state child protective services until a family is found to adopt her.
Lucas said the box made it so that they could retrieve the baby girl within 60 seconds of her arrival.
Monica Kelsey, a pro-life advocate and founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, thanked the baby girl’s parents for placing her in a safe environment.
“This mother loved this child, and it takes a very special person to want what’s best for a child and know that it’s not her,” Kelsey said. “That’s the ultimate act of selflessness. I’m so thankful she chose a safe place to surrender her child and not a dumpster or trash can like we see too many times.”
Here’s more from the report:
Not in Seymour, but the last baby that was surrendered had a two-page note with it, stating the mother didn’t know what to do or how she could care for her baby, so there’s no doubt that mother loved her child, Kelsey said.
“One of the most selfless things a mother can do is give up her child when she knows she wants what’s best for this baby but knows it isn’t her,” Kelsey said. “We make every resource available to any of those moms that come to us.”
Safe haven laws have protected hundreds of babies’ lives. Kelsey said five babies have been surrendered in Indiana baby boxes within the past 24 months. The boxes are insulated and have a silent alarm to immediately notify authorities when a baby has been placed inside.
The New York Daily News reports there are 21 safe haven baby boxes in Indiana.
More than 130 babies also have been surrendered to safe havens in Texas, according to KXAN. Hundreds more likely have been saved from abandonment and death all across the country, thanks to safe haven laws.
If you or someone you know would like more information about relinquishing a newborn child, please call 1-866-99BABY1 or 1-888-510-BABY. More information also is available at NationalSafeHavenAlliance.org or SafeHavenLaw.com.
LifeNews Note: File photo.
