In a recent act of pure selflessness, a healthy newborn girl became the first to be safely and anonymously surrendered at Hendersonville’s Safe Haven Baby Box, which was installed in April 2024 at Fire Station No. 5 on Forest Retreat Road.

The baby box, located just steps away from Hendersonville Hospital, provides an alternative and penalty-free option for parents who feel they cannot care for their newborn. The mission is simple yet profound: to protect infants from harm while offering parents a compassionate, judgment-free choice.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. was founded in 2016 by Indiana native Monica Kelsey, who was herself abandoned as an infant. Today, there are 243 boxes across the United States, operating in conjunction with state Safe Haven laws that allow parents to surrender newborns at designated facilities without fear of prosecution. The boxes address a critical gap in these laws by providing anonymity and removing the requirement for parents to physically hand a baby to another person, which can be a barrier for those in crisis.

The design of the box is unique, with every aspect of the system centered on protecting the newborn. Once the box’s exterior door is opened, the newborn is placed in a climate-controlled bassinet equipped with a silent alarm system that notifies first responders within seconds.

Hendersonville Fire Chief Scotty Bush explained that the city has been meticulous about ensuring the system’s readiness:

“Every Monday, we test the baby box to make sure it’s functioning properly. We’ve even added a redundancy program so that if the power or internet goes down, we still receive immediate alerts. We never want to risk a baby being there without our knowledge -- even for a few hours.”

If the fire crew at Station 5 is unavailable, the next closest engine and a supervisor are dispatched, and both the Fire Chief and Assistant Chief are notified. Once retrieved, the infant is continually monitored until transfer to Hendersonville Hospital.

According to Chief Bush, Station 5 was chosen for its proximity to the hospital, ensuring the fastest possible access to professional medical care. In this case, the newborn was found to be healthy and unharmed. The Department of Children’s Services was notified within two hours, as required by Tennessee law, and the infant was placed under state protection for future placement.

In what is now a growing network of compassion, the Hendersonville box joined Tennessee’s network of Safe Haven Baby Boxes shortly after Springfield installed its own in June 2024. Since the program’s inception, 47 babies have been safely surrendered through these boxes nationwide, with three more handed directly to firefighters at baby box locations.

Every year, more than 7,000 infants are illegally abandoned in the U.S., often in unsafe places like dumpsters or along roadsides. By offering complete anonymity, baby boxes help prevent these tragedies and give infants the chance to grow up safe, healthy, and loved.

In response to the recent surrender of the newborn in Hendersonville, Fire Chief Scotty Bush released the following statement. Stay Positive News felt it was important to include his message in its entirety:

“As Fire Chief, I want to speak directly to the strength and selflessness shown by the parents who recently used our community’s baby box to safely surrender their infant.

This decision, made privately, courageously, and out of love, is a profound act of protection. It’s not abandonment; it’s parents doing everything in their power to give their child a safe and hopeful future.

These parents may never be known by name, but their bravery speaks volumes. We want them to know their child is safe, cared for, and surrounded by love.

I also want to express my appreciation to the dedicated men and women of HFD and Sumner EMS who answered this call with compassion and professionalism. When that alarm went off, they didn’t respond to tragedy — they responded to an act of love. I am incredibly proud of how they carried out that responsibility with care and respect.

Too often in this line of work, we’re called to situations where it’s too late. This time, thanks to courageous parents and the Safe Haven resources in place, we were part of a story that begins with hope.

Let this moment serve as a reminder: when we provide safe, judgment-free options, lives are saved, and parents in crisis are given a path forward. That is something every community should be proud of.”

In a world where headlines often dwell on heartbreak, Chief Bush’s statement reminds us that this story is a beacon of light … and that even in moments of deep struggle, there are choices rooted in love, systems built for protection, and communities ready to embrace new life with open arms.

For one little girl, a journey that could have ended quite differently began in safety. For Hendersonville, it is a reminder that courage, compassion, and selflessness can change the course of a life forever.