DANVILLE — The 50th Safe Haven Baby Box in Indiana was dedicated Monday morning at the Danville Fire Department.
Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said six babies in Indiana have been placed in the organization's boxes this year, including two in October.
"We're super excited to launch here in Danville. This is the first one for Hendricks County," Kelsey said. "I really don't think it's a matter of if this box gets used, but when."
Safe Haven Baby Boxes has placed 55 baby boxes nationwide, including one that was introduced last week in Florida.
"Indiana has kind of led the way with baby boxes," Kelsey said.
The state's first Safe Haven Baby Box was dedicated in December 2018 at the Carmel Fire Department, months after Indiana's revised Safe Haven Law was passed.
The law allows any Indiana fire station that is staffed 24 hours, seven days a week to install a baby box for a parent to anonymously surrender a healthy infant who is no more than 30 days old.
"This is a tool in the tool box for the fire department that we hope we never have to use, but it's here in case we need it," Danville Fire Department Chief Rob Roberts said. "So when the mother feels that she has no other alternative for this baby, Hendricks County and the town of Danville has an alternative for this mother now."
Roberts said the town's baby box was funded with about $20,000 in donations from the public.
Watch Monday's dedication below.
