Baby surrendered in Tennessee Safe Haven Baby Box weeks after its opening

A baby was surrendered in a Safe Haven Baby Box in Nolensville, Tennessee, just weeks after the box's installation.

Key Takeaways:

• A baby was surrendered recently in a Safe Haven Baby Box in Nolensville, Tennessee.

• The box was installed a TriStar Nolensville ER in March.

• Safe Haven Baby Boxes offer parents a safe, anonymous way to surrender an infant they feel unable to care for.

• Tennessee law allows a mother to legally surrender her infant 45 days or younger to any emergency services personnel, or place the baby in a newborn safety device.

The Details:

In March, community members celebrated the placement of the baby box at TriStar Nolensville ER, located at 2000 Ava Place in Nolensville.

“Parents in need now have additional resources and options,” Nolensville Mayor Halie Gallik said at the time. “We were really grateful when they agreed to put the Safe Haven baby box in the new facility.” 

Now, the Safe Haven Baby Box organization has announced that an infant has been placed in the box, just weeks following that March installation.

“This mother bravely trusted our program to provide hope and safety for her and her infant. We are so grateful for her selfless act that was made out of love for her baby,” said Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes in a press release.

The Big Picture:

Safe Haven Baby Boxes are provided by the organization of the same name, and are designed to encourage infant surrender rather than abandonment. The boxes offer a safe, temperature-controlled bassinet with a silent alarm that is triggered, alerting authorities the moment an infant is placed inside. Each box is also equipped with a packet of information for the surrendering parent. One perk of these boxes is that they offer anonymity for the surrendering parent, should that parent so choose.

Once the child is surrendered he or she is later placed for adoption with a loving family.

Each state has its own safe haven surrender law. In Tennessee, mothers of newborns have 45 days to surrender their infant to any emergency medical services personnel or place the child within a newborn safety device like a baby box.

The Bottom Line:

According to News Channel 5, the Nolensville box is one of 28 boxes in Tennessee, and more than 400 located nationwide. Each box offers an opportunity for a parent who feels unable to raise their child to place that baby in a loving home.