WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:05.599 it's just another day for Monica Kelsey. Thank you 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:08.400 . I appreciate that. Fielding calls and emails from 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:11.490 groups hoping to install one of these a safe haven 00:00:11.490 --> 00:00:14.230 baby box. That same day Kelsey held a press 00:00:14.230 --> 00:00:17.140 conference announcing the discovery of a baby found inside the 00:00:17.140 --> 00:00:20.300 device on Indy's south side. And so us coming 00:00:20.300 --> 00:00:25.690 on and allowing this mother to hear our words gives 00:00:25.690 --> 00:00:29.660 her peace. North of the city at the Carmel 00:00:29.660 --> 00:00:32.229 fire department. Three babies have been surrendered in two 00:00:32.229 --> 00:00:35.070 months. Once we noticed that there was a baby 00:00:35.070 --> 00:00:39.329 in here it's just a quick turn. We drop 00:00:39.329 --> 00:00:43.570 the plexiglass down and reach in, pull out baby 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:46.780 , make sure baby's breathing happy healthy. Once the 00:00:46.780 --> 00:00:49.320 baby is placed inside the box, the device locks 00:00:49.329 --> 00:00:54.460 and sends a series of alerts to first responders Since 00:00:54.460 --> 00:00:57.530 2016-21 babies have been surrendered to safe haven boxes across 00:00:57.530 --> 00:01:00.049 the country. And 121 babies have been handed over 00:01:00.049 --> 00:01:04.209 directly to places like fire stations and hospitals. I 00:01:04.209 --> 00:01:07.760 saw you know just a bundle and just an arm 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.730 moving and realized that you know it's a baby. 00:01:11.730 --> 00:01:12.849 There is a surreal ness there for Kelsey and some 00:01:12.849 --> 00:01:15.549 of these firefighters. The mission is personal. When 00:01:15.549 --> 00:01:21.109 I was just a baby, my mother surrendered me 00:01:21.109 --> 00:01:23.879 over. There was no um safe haven surrender laws 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:29.730 or anything but she found a way to um surrounded 00:01:29.730 --> 00:01:32.560 me over to someone else. Kelsey was also adopted 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:34.689 but didn't know she was abandoned and that her mother 00:01:34.689 --> 00:01:37.739 was the victim of rape until she was older when 00:01:37.739 --> 00:01:42.280 I finally started to accept the fact that um I 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:48.519 was unwanted and thrown away like trash. Uh I 00:01:48.519 --> 00:01:51.170 had to kind of dig deep and find my purpose 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:53.040 . All 50 states and D. C. Have 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:55.829 some sort of safe haven law which allows a person 00:01:55.829 --> 00:01:57.680 to legally surrender an infant at a safe facility like 00:01:57.680 --> 00:02:01.060 a hospital or fire station. Kelsey says the boxes 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:05.829 at the touch of complete anonymity. It takes the 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:07.659 the face to face interaction away, the shame, 00:02:07.659 --> 00:02:10.819 the judgment all of that but allows her to save 00:02:10.819 --> 00:02:14.659 her child's life. According to the National Safe Haven 00:02:14.659 --> 00:02:16.090 Alliance, a group that advocates for such laws, 00:02:16.330 --> 00:02:20.490 more than 4500 infants have been safely recovered since the 00:02:20.490 --> 00:02:23.840 laws began in 1999. Critics of the law say 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:27.009 they removed fathers from the process and don't offer adequate 00:02:27.009 --> 00:02:29.740 resources to people in crisis or who would rather have 00:02:29.740 --> 00:02:31.569 an abortion. Kelsey says she's heard the criticism but 00:02:31.569 --> 00:02:35.569 contends the boxes are not a solution for abortion or 00:02:35.580 --> 00:02:38.349 a reaction to the recent Supreme Court ruling. If 00:02:38.349 --> 00:02:42.030 some states continue with abortion, you know, let 00:02:42.030 --> 00:02:44.050 them do that. If they, you know states 00:02:44.050 --> 00:02:46.379 that of outlaw abortion. These are your legal options 00:02:46.379 --> 00:02:50.020 now, You know? And so I don't know 00:02:50.020 --> 00:02:52.530 if we're gonna get busier, but I can tell 00:02:52.530 --> 00:02:53.300 you the phones are going crazy. And so is 00:02:53.300 --> 00:02:55.949 the emails, she says the only thing that matters 00:02:55.949 --> 00:03:00.520 now is the mission when a mother basically says I 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:01.860 want what's best for my child and it's not me 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:06.659 that's heroic Amber, Strong news, Carmel indiana.