The firefighters at the Coolspring Township Fire Department in La Porte County, Indiana, are happy that they fought to have a Safe Haven Baby Box installed at their firehouse. The box is one of only two in the country (the other is also in Indiana) and it allows for a baby to be surrendered safely in the event that the parents are unable or unwilling to care for it.
On Tuesday around 10:30 p.m., Chief Mick Pawlik’s pager went off, alerting him that the silent alarm associated with the Safe Haven box was tripped. He figured that it was probably a false alarm — that someone might have put their pet in the box to keep it warm. But when he opened the box, he found a newborn baby girl looking up at him.
Baby Hope, as she has been named, was less than an hour old, and the chief ascertained that she was in good condition after quickly checking her in the box, which allows babies to stay warm and safe until someone is able to get them.
Assistant Chief Warren Smith told WGN 9, “I would really like to thank the mother who did this for doing the right thing. She stepped up to the plate and did the right thing. She turned the baby into the baby box instead of us finding the baby in a ditch or woods. We hear so many horrible stories.”
There are no cameras near the Safe Haven box, and there are no investigations into who Baby Hope’s parents might be. The box was installed for the very purpose it was used: so mothers in crisis can surrender their babies anonymously.
The little girl is currently at the hospital, where she is doing well. Indiana Child and Family Services will find her a home, and according to WGN, people are already talking about adopting her.
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