A newborn was safely surrendered earlier this year using a Safe Haven Baby Box in Ohio — and the organization behind the program is thanking the parent who made the decision.
In a video posted to Facebook this week, Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, said a baby was legally placed in a Baby Box at the Delhi Township Fire Department earlier this year.
“The news is out,” Kelsey said in the video. “We’ve had another baby surrendered legally in one of our Safe Haven Baby Boxes. This time down in the Cincinnati area in Ohio.”
Kelsey said the infant was placed in the temperature-controlled box in January, which immediately triggered a silent alarm that alerted firefighters. “Your baby was taken from this box in under a minute,” she said.
She added that the responding crew followed protocol exactly — providing initial medical care and then transporting the newborn to the nearest medical facility for evaluation. “They did exactly what they were trained to do,” Kelsey said. “They did it flawlessly.”
The baby is now in the care of child services and is expected to be placed with a permanent family. But Kelsey emphasized that while protecting infants is the central mission, supporting parents in crisis is just as important.
“Having this option available for parents is pivotal because they make this choice,” she said. “The parent makes this choice. Nobody else is making this choice for them. And this is a safe and legal option for a parent in crisis.”
Speaking directly to the parent, Kelsey shared a message of gratitude. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you for trusting us and trusting the fire department to take it from here,” she said. “Your baby was loved by the firefighters who took this baby from the box, and they handled this with ease.”
Kelsey also noted that help can still be available after a surrender. “If you need medical care or counseling, reach out to us,” she said. “We are here for you. Whatever you need, contact us. We will help you get through this.”
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are intended to provide a legal, anonymous way for parents to surrender infants safely. Each box is monitored around the clock and includes alarm systems that notify first responders as soon as a baby is placed inside.
Since its founding, the organization has helped facilitate dozens of safe surrenders through Baby Boxes, along with many more in-person handoffs nationwide. Kelsey has said the goal is not only to protect newborns, but also to support parents facing overwhelming circumstances.
“It’s always a positive thing when a child is safe,” she has said, “but you also have to remember that there’s a mother on the other side that is probably having the worst day of her life.”
For Kelsey, the Ohio surrender is another reminder of why the program exists. “She chose life. She chose safety. She chose hope,” she said of the parent’s decision.
