RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) — In late June, Winchester received a baby box at one of its fire stations, and now Richmond is celebrating a new one in its town for mothers to safely surrender their newborns.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3.66 million women were pregnant in 2022. However, not all women feel they're able to keep the child. That's why Safe Haven Baby Box founder and CEO Monica Kelsey created the baby box. "We are changing the narrative across the country, and we are not stopping," Kelsey said.
It's a legal and safe option for new parents to give up their child. This brings the total number of baby boxes in Kentucky to 39 and 257 nationwide.
The baby box is placed in a private area outside the fire station. You open the door and place the baby in the bin, and a silent alarm will alert first responders. From there, the baby will be taken to a safe location.
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"Well when you give resources to women they're going to choose what's best for them," explains Kelsey. "What are these women going to do because we're not changing the culture. We have to give options to parents and the more options we give the more they will choose something safe."
"I love, I have been in Richmond all my life, and I love it when Richmond rises to the occasion and is not afraid to demonstrate openly, we're in favor of this," said Mayor Robert Blythe of Richmond.
"Your baby is safe. Your baby is healthy. We've got it from here. Those simple words can change the course of someone's life. Her acknowledging the fact she did what was best for her child," said Kelsey. "And it's got to be something amazing for a mother to say, 'I want what's best for my child and it's not me."
If you would like to see other locations where Safe Haven Baby Boxes are located, you can visit their website https://www.shbb.org/.
