McKenzie Unveils Safe Haven Baby Box

McKENZIE (August 6) — McKenzie’s first-ever Safe Haven Baby Box opened to the public on Thursday, following a blessing ceremony and unveiling at McKenzie City Hall. The baby box gives mothers in crisis access to a safe, anonymous surrender option for a baby up to 45 days of age.

Thursday's unveiling marked the 460th Safe Haven Baby Box in the nation and the 32nd in Tennessee.

McKenzie's Safe Haven Baby Box is located at the McKenzie Fire Department, on the left side of the fire truck bays. Previously, the nearest Safe Haven Baby Box was over an hour's drive from McKenzie.

Mayor Griffin said bringing a Safe Haven Baby Box to McKenzie was one of his biggest goals when he assumed office four years ago. The project was spearheaded by McKenzie's Battalion Chief Jason Arnold under the leadership of McKenzie Fire Chief Brian Tucker.

McKenzie Fire Chief Brian Tucker said of the baby box, "While we all pray that it's rarely needed, we're grateful to know that if that moment ever comes, a frightened parent will have a safe, legal and compassionate place to turn, and a precious child will have the opportunity for a future filled with love and hope."

Safe Haven Baby Box representative Nancy Tate spoke to attendees on behalf of founder Monica Kelsey.

Tate shared the story behind Safe Haven Baby Box's orange footprint logo. The footprint is meant to represent "Baby Amelia," an infant who was abandoned in the woods by her parent. By the time authorities found her, Baby Amelia had already perished, her body ravaged by wild animals.

"We want to always remember Baby Amelia," Tate said, "and we want to make sure that the circumstances that surrounded her death — that we would never, ever, ever see those circumstances again."

Tate explained how the box works. The public can access the box from the outside, but only firefighters trained to use the Safe Haven Baby Box can open it from inside the fire station. When a baby is placed on the bassinet inside the baby box, the baby's weight triggers for the box to lock from the outside. Once placed inside, the baby cannot be retrieved from the outside. An alarm goes out to first responders once the box is shut.

During a seven-day testing phase, Mayor Griffin said McKenzie's police and fire department members were able to respond to the baby box within three minutes on average. During that time, holes on the inside of the box provide fresh air for the baby to breathe.

All members of the McKenzie Fire Department have been trained to use the Safe Haven Baby Box.

Bethel University Chaplain Dr. Anne Hames led the blessing, inviting ministers in attendance to lay their hands on the baby box and for all attendees to gather around and lay hands on each other during the prayer.

In Tennessee, parents can legally surrender an infant of up to 45 days of age. Baby boxes are the only legal anonymous surrender options a parent can take. Otherwise, a baby can be surrendered face-to-face at the hospital, a fire station, an emergency medical service provider or a police station.