Ripley Co. Commissioners Approve Installation of Two Safe Haven Baby Boxes

Friday, June 3, 2022 at 3:32 PM

Fundraising goals still need to be met before the boxes can be installed in two Ripley County towns.

Eagle Country 99.3 photo.

(Ripley County, Ind.) – Safe Haven Baby Boxes could soon be installed in two Ripley County towns.

Last month, Ripley County Commissioners approved the installation of two Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Milan and Versailles. The Milan box will be in the EMS building and the Versailles box will be installed at the courthouse annex building.

The Madison Mission, an organization formed by like-minded individuals who wanted to provide a safe place in surrounding communities for a parent to safely surrender their infant without fear, has worked alongside Monica Kelsey and Safe Haven Baby Boxes to help nearby communities raise funds to install baby boxes.

Those communities include Madison and Hanover in Jefferson County, Vevay in Switzerland County, and Greensburg in Decatur Counties. The Lawrenceburg Fire Department is also home to a Safe Haven Baby Box locally.

Fundraising is ongoing for the Milan and Versailles baby boxes. Cost is $11,000 each.

As of June 1, Madison Mission has raised $550 for the Milan box and $645 for the Versailles box.

Indiana’s Safe Haven Law enables a parent to surrender an infant less than 30 days old to any hospital emergency room, fire station, police station or Safe Haven Baby Box within the state without fear of prosecution.

Baby boxes are temperature-controlled incubators with an alarm system that is triggered when a child is place inside, so first responders can immediately rescue the baby and provide critical care.

For more information, visit Safe Haven Baby Boxes - Baby Box Locations, Business, Drop Box (shbb.org) or The Madison Mission | Facebook.