A newborn has been safely surrendered at the Safe Haven Baby Box inside Saint Francis Children's Hospital in Tulsa, marking the first time a baby has ever been placed in one of the devices anywhere in Oklahoma. Hospital officials have not released the date, time, the baby's sex, or any other identifying details, citing the importance of protecting the anonymity of everyone involved.
The surrender happened at the box installed at Saint Francis, according to KOCO, which reported the milestone Monday. As soon as the infant was placed inside, an alarm sounded, alerting hospital staff to respond immediately. The station's report notes that officials have not released information about the baby or the people involved, keeping those details private.
How the Box Is Designed to Protect Anonymity
The device automatically locks the moment a baby is placed inside, and a silent alarm is sent to hospital staff, according to KTUL. The box is climate-controlled and includes a ventilated medical bassinet, the station reports. Once alerted, hospital staff retrieve the newborn and move the child to an acute care room, where the medical team performs a complete head-to-toe assessment, according to News on 6.
The hospital's social work team and newborn nursery also become involved after a surrender, per the same report. The box is intended specifically for infants 30 days old or younger who are unharmed. Saint Francis Health System says on its website that the baby receives a medical evaluation before being handed over to child protective services, and that security cameras near the box are positioned so they do not record the person making the surrender.
Only Baby Box in Northeast Oklahoma
Saint Francis Hospital, located at 6161 South Yale Avenue, is the only Safe Haven Baby Box location in northeast Oklahoma, according to the hospital's own description of the program. When the box was installed in March 2025, it was described as the first of its kind in Eastern Oklahoma, according to KJRH. At the time of its opening, the nationwide Safe Haven Baby Boxes program had 329 boxes installed across the country, with 56 babies safely placed inside them up to that point, KJRH reported.
Oklahoma's infant safe-haven protections are meant to give parents in crisis a way to safely relinquish a baby at a designated location where the child can receive protection and medical care. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services says these laws generally allow a parent, or someone acting on a parent's behalf, to remain anonymous and to be shielded from criminal liability and prosecution for child endangerment, abandonment, or neglect.
A Pattern Playing Out Beyond Tulsa
Tulsa's case follows a similar surrender elsewhere in the country. A newborn was safely surrendered at a Safe Haven Baby Box at a Knoxville Fire Department station in Tennessee, according to KSWO. Firefighters at Station 17 received a baby box alert around 7:45 p.m. and found a healthy infant inside, the outlet reported, noting it was the third time that particular box had been used since installation. Surrendered babies are typically adopted by a family within 30 to 45 days, according to the same report.
Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, has said a mother's decision to use a box reflects love, life, safety and hope. Hospital staff have echoed that sentiment, saying they are there to help people in need. Safe Haven Baby Boxes have been installed across Oklahoma, including three boxes in Oklahoma City, and the organization reports more than 480 boxes installed across 27 states nationwide.
