WOODFORD COUNTY, K.y. — Woodford County has officially unveiled the 350th safe haven baby box in the nation at Versailles Fire Station 1. This marks the 54th such installation in Kentucky, providing birth parents in crisis a way to safely and anonymously surrender their newborns.
The boxes are designed to help parents who are unable to care for their children make a safe decision while maintaining anonymity.
"The Safe Haven Baby Box initiative is just so important to me," said State Representative Nancy Tate, who began lobbying for the Safe Haven Act in 2021.
For Tate, the project is deeply personal. Her advocacy began after her daughter became pregnant as a teenager.
"I'm so glad that my daughter had the fortitude and she was brave enough to come to my husband and I to talk to us about the fact that she was pregnant, and a lot of children don't have that support," Tate said.
Versailles Fire Chief TA Rankin said that because the drop-off box is located in his station, his crew should be able to respond to any incident in about 2 minutes.
"We're happy to have it in the community," Rankin said. "We're in the business of saving lives and trying to change outcomes for folks."
Tate expressed empathy for parents who find themselves needing to use the boxes.
"My heart goes out to every person who has actually had to take advantage of the safe haven laws across the United States," she said.
She also offered reassurance to those who might need this resource in the future: "I want to reassure the women and the families that are using these safe haven baby boxes that their children are being loved and being cared for."
