Just one year after establishing a Safe Haven Baby Box in Lebanon, Ohio, a baby girl has become the first to be surrendered at the particular location. The box at Lebanon Fire Station, monitored around the clock, issued an alarm at approximately 3:24 p.m. yesterday, and the response was swift. Information provided by the Lebanon Division of Police and WCPO states that both police and fire units were dispatched to the scene, where they found the infant within the safety device.
According to a press release from the Lebanon Division of Police, having been notified of the event, Warren County Children Services will oversee the next steps for the surrendered newborn. Installed as part of a wide-ranging program allowing parents to put children into care anonymously and without prosecution—given that the child is unharmed and not older than 30 days—the stations represent a growing safety net across Ohio and nationwide. Dedicated on Oct. 4, 2023, the Lebanon Safe Haven Baby Box is one of the now ten locations in Ohio, a fact highlighted in reports from both WLWT and FOX19.
This baby box is equipped with three alarms to ensure that the drop-off of any infant does not go unnoticed. Found by the Lebanon Fire Department, the baby girl was promptly transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital, as per the procedure outlined in related statewide protocols. Ohio state law compels these life-saving boxes to be actively monitored to ensure no alert fails when the weight of a new generation is placed within them.
The list of Safe Haven Baby Boxes includes locations in Lebanon and neighboring areas like Delhi Township and Hebron, as per WCPO's reporting on this significant community resource. Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, expressed gratitude towards the mother of the child, "I want to tell this mother thank you. Thank you for keeping your child safe and thank you for trusting the Lebanon Fire Department and Safe Haven Baby Boxes to take it from here," she told WLWT, reflecting the relief and appreciation felt for the choice to use the safe surrender system over potentially dangerous alternatives.
The infant, after evaluation, is expected to be entered into a foster-to-adopt program, an avenue specifically different from traditional foster care and one that usually leads to permanent adoption rather swiftly. This case, and the broader network of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, casts light on the intersection of policy, compassion, and the complex considerations a parent must navigate when grappling with the option to part from their child—a last-ditch embrace by the state to catch those falling through the cracks of care and capability.
