KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Fire Department's Western Avenue station will be home to the first Safe Haven Baby Box (SHBB) in the state, the department announced on Friday, Feb 10.
The SHBB allows women to safely surrender a baby without face-to-face interaction.
'[My biological mom] gave birth in April of 1973 and abandoned her child two hours after that child was born," Monica Kelsey, founder of SHBB. "That child was me... she was 17 years old and she was brutally attacked and raped."
Surrendering a baby in Tennessee is legal due to the Safe Haven Law. The law allows mothers to surrender unharmed newborns within two weeks of birth at a designated facility under complete confidentiality.
"I stand on the front lines of this movement as one of these kids that that wasn't lovingly placed in a safe haven baby box," Kelsey said. "[Moms don't] have to do anything besides open the door."
According to SHBB's website, a baby box must pass seven days of consecutive testing when it is installed. Multiple alarm systems are used in the box to ensure personnel is alerted if a baby is dropped off. The alarms are tested weekly.
When a baby is surrendered, the box will automatically lock when it is closed to ensure the baby's safety. All personnel in the facility are trained by SHBB on what to do next with the newborn.
Before a baby box is opened to the public, it is blessed by SBHH. The blessing of Knoxville's baby box is taking place on Feb. 17 at 2 p.m., according to KFD.
Twenty-three babies were surrendered in baby boxes across the nation, according to SHBB.
The Tennessee Safe Haven Law took effect in 2001 after two Blount County women pushed for legislation to help end newborn abandonment.
Since 2001, 121 babies across Tennessee have been safely surrendered by their mothers, some of whom were girls as young as 12 years old while others were women over 30 years old.
All babies surrendered to a Safe Haven Facility in Tennessee have been adopted into permanent families. One baby was reclaimed by its mother.
Under Tennessee law, the following classify as a Safe Haven Facility:
- Hospitals
- Birthing Centers
- Community Health Clinics (health departments)
- Outpatient, Walk-In Clinics
- Emergency Medical Service Facilities (EMS)
- Fire Stations (only those staffed 24 hours)
- Police Stations (only those staffed 24 hours)