By Jenna MacDermant
Richard Stewart, Lubbock Fire Rescue Chief, said, “I don’t know your situation or pain, but I do know in your darkest moment you had the courage and love for your baby to give them an opportunity at life.”
Stewart says the mother’s courage brought her baby somewhere safe, protected, and well cared for. Within one minute of being placed in the box, the child was in the arms of a firefighter.
Councilwoman Christy Martinez Garcia said first responders “immediately got in control and put all the lessons that they’ve learned about this into action.” She added, “One of the things that was also profound for me was when they picked up the baby. At first it cried, and it went back to sleep. Isn’t that awesome? That’s how safe that little one felt, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Under Texas’ Safe Haven laws, a parent in crisis can safely surrender an unharmed infant 60 days or younger to an employee at any hospital, fire station, or EMS station. With Safe Haven Baby Boxes, parents can now do so with complete anonymity.
As a former surrendered baby herself, Safe Haven Baby Box CEO Monica Kelsey understands the weight of this mother’s decision. “This baby wasn’t abandoned,” Kelsey said. “This baby was lovingly, legally, anonymously, and safely surrendered into a baby box by a parent that wanted something more for them.”
The baby was taken to the hospital for treatment and is now under the care of Child Protective Services. Kelsey says most are in their forever home within 30 days and formally adopted within six months.
Councilwoman Dr. Jennifer Wilson says access to one of these boxes can mean the difference between life and death. It is something Lubbock has been working toward since approving the first in early 2024 and installing it just months later.
“I wanna commend you guys, everybody — this is an amazing thing for our city,” one speaker said at the installation. Another noted that Lubbock became “the second city in the state of Texas to provide this much needed service.”
Now, more boxes are being opened across Texas, helping mothers in need. Kelsey said, “Texas is the number one state in America right now for infant abandonment, and we have to change that. And so, the more boxes that are being put in, the more we can work in communities educating our first responders, educating the schools that this is now available anonymously.”