Baby Boxes Save Two Newborns in Oklahoma and Indiana
Tulsa records Oklahoma's first anonymous surrender; Indiana logs its 90th. Officials praise the parents' courage as a choice for life.
Two infants were safely surrendered this week through Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Oklahoma and Indiana, under state laws that allow parents in crisis to place an unharmed newborn anonymously and without legal penalty.
Oklahoma Records Its First Surrender
Last week, an infant was placed in the Safe Haven Baby Box at St. Francis Children's Hospital in Tulsa—the first such surrender in Oklahoma history. Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, called the decision "an act of love." "She chose life. She chose safety. She chose hope," she said.
Indiana Marks Its 90th Surrender
On Monday morning, October 26, a newborn described as a beautiful baby girl who appeared healthy was surrendered at the Sugar Creek Township Fire Department in West Terre Haute. Fire Chief Darrick Scott and the department noted the event as a reminder of the boxes' purpose: to provide a safe, confidential option. The surrender was Indiana's 90th. The state now counts 152 baby box locations.
How the Boxes Protect Mother and Child
Installed at hospitals and fire stations, the units contain climate-controlled bassinets. When an infant is placed inside, the door locks automatically and a silent alarm notifies authorities within minutes, prompting an immediate medical response. Infants surrendered this way are typically placed for adoption. Inside each box, parents find information on local resources. A national hotline, 1-866-99BABY1, offers guidance to those in need.
State Safe Haven laws cover unharmed infants up to 30 days old. No prosecution follows a lawful surrender. The two events this week—Oklahoma's first use of a baby box and Indiana's 90th—illustrate how a clear legal path can spare a child from abandonment and allow a parent to choose life even under crushing pressure. For Catholics who defend the right to life, such boxes are a concrete work of mercy: they protect the most vulnerable while accompanying parents who cannot, in that moment, raise the child themselves.