January 20, 2025
ASHLAND, Ky. (KT) – Kentucky's 45th, 46th, 47th, and 48th Safe Haven Baby Boxes are available for use in Jefferson County, Madisonville, Hodgenville, and Ashland.
The Safe Haven Baby Box is a climate-controlled bassinet where parents can safely, anonymously surrender a newborn up to 30 days old in the commonwealth. In accordance with state law, the boxes are installed in EMS buildings, fire stations and police stations, where trained medical professionals can respond quickly when an infant is legally surrendered.
"This is one of the most important things we can do in the community," said Mike Mulrooney, founder of local nonprofit Shirley's Way at a press conference on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. Mulrooney's organization and the Lesley and Rhyan Prather Foundation provided the funds necessary to bring Kentucky's 45th Safe Haven box to southwest Jefferson County.
Mulrooney admitted he initially thought the idea was ridiculous until he understood the need.
"There's too many stories of babies who have been saved because of these boxes, and if it saves one life, it's well worth it. We were honored to be part of this."
"Far too often, we step in after tragedies…these baby boxes present an opportunity to prevent a tragedy," said Terry Hall, a spokesman for the Lesley and Rhyan Prather Foundation. "You can't place a dollar amount on the value of a life, and every child surrendered to a baby box is given an opportunity at a long and healthy life."
The box is located at the Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District on Stonestreet Road.
"Today is yet another way of how Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Protection District can serve their community for the assistance of a mother in need," said Fire Chief Zion Jason Meiman.
The new Stonestreet Road resource is the 11th Safe Haven Baby Box located in the Louisville Metro area.
Discussion and research for Madisonville's Safe Haven box began in November 2023 and culminated in a blessing ceremony Monday, Dec. 16.
Heather Bryant, executive director of Door of Hope Pregnancy Care Center, shared via email that the project was a collaboration between the pregnancy center, the City of Madisonville, and the Knights of Columbus.
"After months of raising money and installing the box, we are finally able to have the box go online. The community and Knights of Columbus raised money to pay for the construction of the baby box. Door of Hope helped promote the project. This was truly a community effort," Bryant said.
Kentucky's 46th Safe Haven box is located at Fire Station 4 on Hanson Road.
When LaRue County started to explore bringing a Safe Haven box to the community, there were only six operational in Kentucky. Now it is the 47th.
Isolated during the pandemic, James Crume was watching a television program that mentioned the safe surrender option when he said, "A voice came to me, saying, 'You can do this. Get up from where you are and get busy.'"
Crume talked with his pastor and went to the county's judge executive, the mayor, the chief of police, and eventually Hodgenville's city council with the idea to install a Safe Haven box. Everyone responded positively.
"This is a very special day," Crume said through tears on Tuesday, Dec. 17. "This is starting something that will save lives, and no matter who you are, what it is, where the babies come from or whatever, the mother can bring the baby here and put it in this box and it be safe."
Funds came from Crume and a Kosair for Kids grant. The bassinet where parents can leave their infant was sponsored by Crume's daughter, Angela Wells, who did so in honor of her father.
"Everybody in the community is a part of this, but we have to give the credit to the man upstairs, our Lord Jesus Christ," Crume said.
Hodgenville's box is located at LaRue County EMS on Lincoln Boulevard.
Kentucky's 48th box is also the 301st nationwide; the Ashland location was the first brought online for service in 2025.
Fire Chief Steve Alley said the box—housed at the Ashland Central Fire Station—was funded, installed, and will be maintained by donations from community partners.
"We are humbled as a department at the trust placed in our department in the monitoring and operation of this baby box," Alley said at a blessing ceremony on Jan. 2. "This campaign is another example of how an idea can become a reality through the cooperation between local government and community partners. Our hope is that there will never be a need for this box in our community."
Two Hearts Pregnancy Care Center helped organize the community fundraiser that made Ashland's Safe Haven box a reality, and Trace Creek Construction donated time and labor to install the box.
To learn more about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, visit shbb.org.
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This story first appeared in Kentucky Today.
