Opelika Fire’s Safe Haven Baby Box is lifesaving option for parents in crisis

OPELIKA, Ala. ( WRBL ) — The Opelika Fire Department has unveiled the first operational Safe Haven Baby Box in Lee County, located at Fire Station 1 on 604 Avenue B. This box, now the ninth in Alabama, offers a secure and anonymous way for parents in crisis to surrender their newborns. Available 24/7, it is part of a larger initiative to protect vulnerable infants and support parents facing impossible choices.

Fire Chief Shane Boyd emphasized the significance of the new addition, stating, “The Safe Haven Baby Box provides a critical resource to our community, especially for the most delicate among us. We hope that if ever the situation calls for it, any family in crisis can be assured their child will be cared for by the trained hands of the Opelika Fire Department.”

The Safe Haven Baby Box is designed with a climate-controlled interior and is equipped with an alarm system to alert first responders as soon as an infant is placed inside. This allows emergency personnel to provide immediate care and transport the child to a hospital for a medical evaluation and placement.

Opelika Fire Inspector Bob Parsons explained the technology behind the box. “Once the baby is placed in the box and the door is closed, the door locks automatically. Within about 45 seconds, a sensor alerts dispatch that there’s activity in the box,” he said. “This ensures the child is never left alone for more than a few moments.”

Inspector Parsons also reflected on the mission behind the initiative, which was started by Monica Kelsey, a woman who was herself abandoned as an infant. “Her mission, I believe, is to save as many infant lives as possible,” he said. “This is an opportunity to provide a safe space, with no blame and no shame. Some people make decisions that can lead to the endangerment of infants, and this box offers an alternative, a responsible choice where we can intervene.”

The Safe Haven Baby Box initiative is part of Alabama’s Safe Haven Law, which allows parents to safely surrender a newborn at designated locations such as hospitals and fire stations without fear of prosecution, as long as the child is unharmed.

The impact of these baby boxes has already been felt across the state. A similar box installed in Madison, Alabama, recently received an infant just eight days after it became operational. In total, three babies have been safely surrendered there since the beginning of 2024.

Inspector Parsons highlighted the need for this resource, recalling past tragedies. “We have found abandoned babies in the past where the outcome was not good,” he said solemnly. “This is a place where we can intervene and make sure that child has a chance at life.”

He urged the community to approach the subject with compassion and understanding. “Walk a mile in somebody else’s shoes—you never know the issues someone is facing,” he said. “This baby box is about providing a safe, anonymous option for those who need it most. It’s a way to ensure that no child is left without care and no parent is left without options.”

The Opelika Fire Department expressed gratitude to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Kids to Love, and East Alabama Health for their partnership.

For more information about the Safe Haven Baby Box and Alabama’s Safe Haven Law, visit safehavenbabyboxes.com .

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