First newborn surrendered in Bowling Green Safe Haven Baby Box

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - A healthy baby was surrendered to the Bowling Green Fire Department in the Safe Haven Baby Box located at 385 Lovers Lane.

Officials announced the anonymous surrender on Thursday, Feb. 9.

“This Baby Box location hasn’t been open for three months yet, but it was there when needed and that is the key,” said Monica Kelsey, Founder/CEO of Safe Haven Baby Box.

“We know this infant was loved by their birth mother and will be quickly adopted by a family who has been eagerly awaiting a baby. We rejoice for the opportunity to make a positive outcome out of tough circumstances.”

Kelsey said during a press conference on Friday, Feb. 10 that surrendering a child to the baby box is not abandoning them, but it is providing the child a better life.

”This child was legally, safely, anonymously, and lovingly placed inside of this Safe Haven Baby Box,” said Kelsey. “We do not know who came here and surrendered this child, and that is the beauty of the baby box. The box allows 100% anonymity, and that is exactly what that parent received here.”

Isabella Lamkin is a 17-year-old, teen advocate for Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

When she was born, she was abandoned and placed outside of an orphanage in China. Lamkin said that if parents have the right resources available, like a baby box, it would not only be valuable to the parents, but it would save the life of the infant.

”Parents can have every option possible to making the best decision in giving this child a chance at life. We never know what this child is able to do if we do not give them a chance a life. You never know,” said Lamkin.

The Bowling Green baby box was placed in December 2022. It became the 16th Safe Haven Baby Box in Kentucky and the 132nd in the country.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes says 24 infants have been placed in a Baby Box since Nov. 2017. In 2022, eight newborns were surrendered via a Baby Box.

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