POWELL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX News) — Parents facing a crisis now have another option to safely and anonymously surrender a newborn in Kentucky.
A new Safe Haven Baby Box has opened at the Powell County Emergency Medical Services station, becoming the 69th Baby Box in Kentucky and the 470th nationwide.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes provide a secure, climate-controlled location where parents can legally surrender an infant under Kentucky's Safe Haven law. Once a baby is placed inside the box, a silent alarm alerts emergency responders, who can retrieve the child and provide immediate care.
The installation expands access to the program in eastern Kentucky and adds to Kentucky's growing network of Safe Haven Baby Box locations.
The organization behind the program says the boxes are designed to prevent unsafe infant abandonment by offering a safe, anonymous option for parents who feel unable to care for a newborn.
According to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Kentucky leads the nation in the number of installed boxes.
