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.
-
Kokomo man wants to share story of overcoming addiction with others
The Carmel Marathon is this weekend. For some, crossing that finish line after 26.2 miles is the hardest feat of their lives. Brent Wright says overcoming addiction motivates him to race years later.
Braun announces crackdown on 'nuisance bars'
Governor Mike Braun announced on Thursday a collaboration between police agencies to address public safety concerns surrounding 'nuisance bars.'
Understanding the proposed Fishers long-term rental ordinance
Fishers is poised to become the first city in Indiana to place restrictions on long-term rental properties, a move that has ignited strong opinions among residents and industry experts.
Indiana water systems to remove lead pipes amid uncertainty at federal level
Water systems across Indiana are moving forward with identifying and removing lead service lines amid uncertainty at the federal level.
