Left with Love: Inside the Baby Box Movement

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – A year ago, Abilene introduced a safe option for new parents to surrender their newborns who are less than 60 days old. KTAB’s special, “Left with Love: Inside the Baby Box Movement,” uncovers the emotional stories behind baby boxes—haven drop-offs that save newborn lives and give families hope.

The Safe Haven Baby Box in Abilene is located at Fire Station #7. This facility allows new parents to anonymously surrender a newborn baby less than 60 days old. When a baby is placed inside the container, a silent alarm sounds until the door is securely shut. After the baby is inside the box, firefighters will come to the retrieval area in the truck bay to collect it. The baby is then examined and sent to Child Protective Services.

Monica Kelsey, Founder of Safe Haven Baby Box, shared insight on how her passion helped her get started with helping babies and new parents who need to surrender their babies.

Abilene Fire Chief Cande Flores explained how the station handles the situation once the babies are put in and how they safely handle it.

In San Angelo, Melanie Wood and Chief of the San Angelo Fire Department, Johnny Fisher, hope to contribute to its legacy by introducing a Safe Haven Baby Box, a cause that speaks from the heart.

“The most recent was probably about seven or eight years ago…the baby was dropped off by the mother. Fire stations and hospitals are safe haven through the Moses Law, a safe places to surrender your babies,” Fisher recalled.

The concept of a Safe Haven Baby Box is still in the planning stages, but there is a specific location and goal in mind. Fisher mentioned that they aim to install the baby box at San Angelo’s Central Fire Station once the necessary funds have been raised.

The Baby Moses Law, or Safe Haven, allows parents or guardians to surrender their infants safely and anonymously. In 2023, this law was revised to enhance the process by permitting the use of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which provide a secure, temperature-controlled environment for the surrendering of infants. This ensures both the safety of the child and the privacy of the parent.