In April of 2024, the Baby Box at the entrance of the Hendersonville Fire Station #5 was blessed, and last week it brought its first blessing. The fire department responded to the baby box activation within minutes and safely took custody of the infant. This is the first Safe Haven Baby Box surrender at this location, but they stand ready if the situation arises again.
The training they receive when the baby box is put into service is vital to handling this surrender effectively, and they handled the situation with ease. The day or time of the surrender will not be released to ensure anonymity of the situation.
The station is located at 1166 Forest Retreat Rd. It was the 6th location in Tennessee, and now there are 22 in the state. Across the United States, there are 359 Safe Haven Baby Box locations for the anonymous safe surrender of babies.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes has a confidential National Safe Haven Hotline, 1-866-99BABY1, that provides free counseling and info on safe surrender, including face-to-face surrender. Twenty-four states have a Baby Box presence within their state.
Kelsey shared, “This is our 3rd baby box baby in Tennessee. We are proud of the many communities that have prioritized being prepared for safe surrender across the state. Local leaders are protecting these women in crisis by placing baby boxes, and now we have another safe infant. Surrender is an act of sacrificial love, and we know this mother had great intent for her child that she couldn’t currently provide. We also are here to offer support post-surrender with counseling for the mother should she choose to reach out.”
Hendersonville Mayor Jamie Clary states, “Very unfortunately, Hendersonville was the home of a mother who suffocated her newborn twins more than 10 years ago. As an adoptee and Mayor, I wanted to help struggling parents like her and enable new lives for babies through adoption. When Safe Haven approached me, I envisioned the baby box as a life-saving gift. Our city board approved the request, and we installed the box at a fire hall adjacent to our hospital less than two years ago. I cannot praise our firefighters and ambulance staff enough for their care of the baby who recently began a new life in their hands.”
Since 2017, 63 infants have been safely and legally surrendered in a Baby Box. The National Safe Haven Crisis Line has assisted with over 175 handoff surrenders. Each year, the numbers increase with more baby boxes available across the country. Surrendered infants are adopted by families who have registered as foster to adopt. The Local Department of Family Services coordinates the adoption process.
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