KOKOMO, Ind. — Firefighters in Kokomo took in a newborn Monday, the 12th baby surrendered to a baby box in the United States this year.
“To be able to hold her in my arms and know that she is protected, it was definitely a special moment,” said James Shaffer, a recruit with the Kokomo Fire Department.
Shaffer was on duty when the alarm went off.
“As first responders, that’s what we want to do. We want to save people if they are in bad spots, and we want to be that person to protect them. That’s what we live for,” Shaffer said.
The two-day-old baby girl was left in the Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station #1 in Kokomo Monday, July 17. Firefighters and paramedics from Ascension St. Vincent cared for the newborn moments after she was left in the box.
"Although these are hard choices to make, we applaud the mother for giving her daughter the chance at life through an anonymous, safe and legal option," Kokomo Fire Chief Chris Frazier said.
Frazier said the baby box at Station #1 was installed in June 2020.
The baby is the fifth newborn surrendered to a baby box in Indiana this year. Indiana's 103 baby boxes are the most of any state in the U.S.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes are temperature-controlled and sound an alarm when an infant is placed inside, alerting firefighters. Once taken out of the box, the baby is checked by medics and taken to the hospital.
Newborns who are surrendered in the boxes are often adopted in about a month.
"It is a joy each and every time we get a call saying we have a baby in a Box," Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey said in a release announcing the surrender. "When we are prepared to aid women in crisis, we can positively impact so many. A family who has been eagerly awaiting a baby to adopt has their life changed forever for the better."
The first newborn was surrendered to a baby box in 2017. In the six years since, 33 newborns have been left in boxes for firefighters and paramedics to care for to be made available for adoption.
Also, more than 130 babies have been surrendered nationwide through the Safe Haven Baby Boxes National Hotline at 1-866-99BABY1.
(Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to reflect the baby was two days old, not two years old as was previously reported.)