Midwest
Founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes shares her story and hope for the future: 'A God-given purpose'
With Wisconsin recently legalizing “baby boxes” for anyone to surrender their newborn babies anonymously, the founder of the Safe Haven Baby Box program told Fox News Digital that there is still more work to be done across the United States.
The new law, passed in December, expanded the Badger State’s previous Safe Haven law, which permitted a parent to leave an infant younger than 72 hours old at a fire department, police department or hospital.
Now, with “baby boxes” legal in Wisconsin, a person can drop off these children anonymously (previously, it was required that the handoff happen face-to-face).
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“We’re currently active in 14 states,” Monica Kelsey, the Indiana-based founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc., told Fox News Digital in an interview.
The first baby boxes should arrive in Wisconsin within a few months, she estimated.
Monica Kelsey, based in Indiana, is founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. She’s also the author of the book, “Blessed to Have Been Abandoned” (2021), a U.S. Navy veteran — and a mom of three. (Monica Kelsey)
“Baby boxes” with anonymous surrenders are legal in 22 states — a figure that Kelsey hopes will grow in the near future. (Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. does not presently operate in all states where the boxes themselves are legal.)
A “baby box” is a safety device provided for use under a state’s Safe Haven Law. It “legally permits a mother in crisis to safely, securely and anonymously surrender if they are unable to care for their newborn,” says the organization’s website.
These boxes are installed in the exterior walls of fire departments or other locations — and are electronically monitored and temperature controlled.
“Their child’s life is going to go on. Their life is going to go on.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said of the new baby box law in his state, known as Wisconsin Act 79, “Expanding safeguards for kids across Wisconsin is a priority for my administration, and this bill provides a solution that will hopefully keep newborns and infants safe from harm.”
He added in a press statement shared by his office in early December, “I will continue to advocate for initiatives that work to make our communities and families safer, and I look forward to seeing more bipartisan bills like this in the future.”
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, Pro-Life Wisconsin said that it “supports efforts to prevent the illegal abandonment of newborn infants, often resulting in their tragic demise, by offering ways to hand over newborns lawfully and safely to proper authorities,” said Matt Sande, legislative director of the organization.
‘They can surrender their child’
When a person places an infant in the box, an alarm will alert after a set period of time, letting officials know a child is inside and allowing the person to avoid attention.
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A door on the interior side of the box allows for medical professionals to access the baby and provide medical care.
There “is 100% anonymity,” Kelsey told Fox News Digital.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes, like the one above, are legal in 22 states. They allow for the safe and anonymous surrender of an infant. (Safe Haven Baby Boxes)
“If they [the parents or caregivers] don’t want to walk in and face someone, if they don’t want to talk to you, they can surrender their child in an electronically monitored baby box and walk away knowing that they just saved their child’s life,” she said.
“Their child’s life is going to go on. Their life is going to go on.”
While each state has some sort of “Safe Haven” law allowing for the surrender of an infant up to a certain age, the laws differ from state to state.
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For instance, some states, Kelsey said, allow parents to surrender their children up to three months after their births — others, just three days after their births.
A federal law, she suggested, would streamline the process and make an already complicated and stressful situation easier to understand.
“If [the law] is confusing to [advocates] and we’re not in a moment of crisis, then it’s confusing to these women who are having the worst day of their life, and they’re trying to figure out what the law is,” she said.
As an adult, Kelsey met her biological mother, something she described as “the best and worst day of my life.” Much to her shock, her biological mother showed her a police report from August 1972 — with stunning details. (iStock)
The crusade to ensure the safe surrender of babies is personal to Kelsey — as she herself was abandoned as an infant.
“I didn’t know my beginnings,” she told Fox News Digital.
While she was aware she was adopted, her adoptive parents were not told the truth about her origins.
“My goal is to stop infant abandonment.”
“My adoptive parents were told when they adopted me that my birth parents were young and they couldn’t care for me, so they placed me for adoption,” she said.
“And that was not even close to the truth,” said Kelsey, who is the mother of three children.
As an adult, Kelsey met her biological mother, something she described as “the best and worst day of my life.”
Much to her shock, her biological mother showed her a police report from August 1972.
Kelsey said she hopes that one day a federal “Safe Haven” law will be passed. For now, each state has different laws and policies. Above, a baby box is shown in Kentucky. (Grace Ramey/Daily News via AP)
“She was brutally attacked and raped and left along the side of the road,” said Kelsey. “And this was in 1972, when abortion was illegal in our country, even in the cases of rape and incest.”
Her biological mother, just 17 at the time of the attack, pressed charges against the man.
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She later discovered she was pregnant.
“She was taken out of high school, not allowed to go back,” said Kelsey of her biological mother. “She was hidden for the remainder of the pregnancy.”
“She abandoned her child two hours after the child was born. That child ended up to be me.”
She continued, “And then she gave birth in April 1973 and abandoned her child two hours after the child was born. And that child ended up to be me.”
Kelsey added, “And so I stand on the front lines of this movement as one of these kids that wasn’t lovingly and safely and legally placed in a Safe Haven Baby Box by a mother that wanted me.”
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Despite her tumultuous start in life, Kelsey said she considers herself “blessed,” and is motivated by her strong faith.
“How blessed am I to to have been abandoned but now be saving abandoned children,” she told Fox News Digital.
“And it’s just it’s a God-given purpose. I don’t take it lightly,” she said. “I take it very seriously. And now I’m traveling the country doing His work.”
Monica Kelsey poses for a selfie with a child who was surrendered in a Safe Haven Baby Box. She said she knows these children are “going to struggle. One day they’re going to struggle to find their worth … But I want them to know they’re not alone.” (Monica Kelsey)
Kelsey wrote the book “Blessed to Have Been Abandoned: The Story of the Baby Box Lady,” published in April 2021.
She sends an autographed copy to each baby placed in one of the boxes.
“In this book, it shows the struggle of finding my worth,” she said.
“And they’re going to struggle one day. They’re going to struggle. One day they’re going to struggle to find their worth,” she said.
“But I want them to know that they’re not alone.”
Looking ahead, Kelsey said she has no specific goals for the Safe Haven Baby Boxes, apart from the big picture of child safety.
“I can’t change what happened to me — but I can change what happens to others.”
“My goal is to stop infant abandonment,” said Kelsey. “And wherever Christ leads me is where I’m going to go.”
As she also said to Fox 13 not long ago, “I can’t change what happened to me — but I can change what happens to others.”
What to know about Safe Haven Baby Boxes
The organization’s primary goal is to raise awareness of the Safe Haven Law.
Women in crisis can call or text the national 24-hour hotline (1-866-99BABY1) and receive counseling and assistance free of charge, according to the group.
To date, the hotline has received over 9,000 calls from every state in the U.S., it notes on its website (shbb.org).
Safe Haven Baby Boxes has referred over 500 women to crisis pregnancy centers, assisted in 9 adoption referrals, and had over 140 legal Safe Haven surrenders.
“Thirty-seven babies have been surrendered in our Baby Boxes,” says the organization.
“Three babies were surrendered directly to firefighters at Safe Haven Baby Box locations.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
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Abdullah Mason and Albert Bell previewed their championship bout and came face to face at the press conference. The two fighters square off this Saturday, July 4, at Cleveland State University’s Wolstein Center.
- Cleveland-based 22-year-old southpaw Mason (20-0, 17 KOs) of Bedford, Ohio, defends his WBO lightweight title after claiming the vacant belt last November by decision against Sam Noakes.
- Toledo’s 33-year-old Bell (28-0, 9 KOs), who makes his first bid to become a champion, took the fight on short notice, replacing Joe Cordina of Wales.
See below what Mason and Bell had to say at the press conference on Thursday, following the open workout.
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Mason: I’m prepared to come out on top
“I’m excited. I’m super excited,” Mason said. “This is something me and my brothers have been looking forward to doing since we were amateurs. We fought on the same card a few times as amateurs, and all of us did it together on the last show my father threw here in Cleveland. It was huge.”
“At that time, we were like, ‘Yo, when we do this on a professional level, it’s going to be big for Cleveland.’ And now, it’s big for not only Cleveland, but it’s on TNT, so this is a national stage, a world stage with DAZN. I’m just excited to be able to put this show on with two of my brothers on the card.”
“I feel like it [fight vs Sam Noakes] was definitely a much-needed experience. That’s not the type of fight you have all the time in your career. It was something I felt like I had to do that night. Every fight is different, and it definitely gave me some insight into how I’ll approach the rest of my career. So, it was a much-needed experience and a great fight.”
“It [opponent change] was definitely unexpected. Albert Bell – that’s our guy from Toledo. But it’s boxing. You’ve got to be prepared for anything, and I’m prepared to come out on top. Everything happens for a reason.”
“One thing I do want to say is, I’m the youngest world champion in boxing for a reason, and I’m prepared to show that when I step into the ring.”
“Boxing is offense, defense and IQ, and you’ve got to put it together and tailor it to the person you’re stepping in the ring with. So, with the opponent switch, I just have to tailor it to the person across the ring from me, and that’s Albert Bell.”
Bell: We’re here now, and that’s all that matters
“I mean, it caught me by surprise,” Bell said on stepping in to face Mason on short notice. “It was an ideal opponent for me. I wasn’t really thinking about fighting Abdullah, especially not this soon. But everything made sense. I talked to my pops about it, and it made sense, so I stepped in to save the card, get my world title opportunity and put on a show for all of Ohio.”
“I mean, I get turned down by a lot of guys. I’m not saying that in a cocky way or trying to act like I’m the boogeyman or anything like that, but a lot of guys say no when my name comes across their table. I would’ve had the name I was supposed to have by now if it weren’t for that, but what’s delayed is not denied. We’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I just need to be the best version of myself. I know he’s coming to be the best version of himself. He’s prepared, I’m prepared. We’re ready. We’re two top fighters, and we’re professionals. We’re both Ohioans. We’ve got history with each other, and it’s gonna be a show for sure.”
Mason vs Bell undercard
In the co-feature, Bruce Carrington (17-0, 10 KOs) of Brooklyn makes the first defense of his WBC featherweight title against Rene Palacios (19-0-1, 10 KOs) of Mexico.
On the undercard, Cleveland’s Delante “Tiger” Johnson (17-0, 8 KOs) takes on Canada-based Mexican Christopher Guerrero (16-0, 9 KOs) at welterweight.
Plus, Deric Davis (11-0, 10 KOs) of Fort Washington, Maryland, and Carlos Ramos (18-4-1, 10 KOs) of Spain by way of Ecuador, square off at lightweight.
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ILLINOIS – A severed arm with a distinctive Green Bay Packers tattoo led investigators to identify a Plainfield man whose remains were recovered from Lake Mattoon, and two people have now been charged in the case, including the man’s mother, Illinois State Police said.
James Adams, 26, and Robin Turner, 62, are each charged with concealment of a homicidal death, a Class 3 felony, and dismembering a human body, a Class X felony.
Two charged after severed arm with Packers tattoo found in Illinois lake, police say
The backstory:
Boaters found part of a human arm floating in Lake Mattoon on the evening of June 28, according to Illinois State Police. The arm had several distinctive tattoos, including a skeleton holding a Green Bay Packers helmet and an unidentified letter or number.
Severed arm found in Illinois lake belonged to Plainfield man, police say (Illinois State Police)
Authorities searched the lake and recovered additional human remains. The victim was later identified as 38-year-old Dalewayne Turner of Plainfield.
Investigators executed a search warrant Wednesday at a home in the 2400 block of Ruth Fitzgerald Drive in Plainfield, where Adams and Robin Turner were taken into custody, state police said. Robin is reportedly Dalewayne’s mother.
Police said investigators also recovered additional evidence from the home but have not disclosed what was found.
What’s next:
Illinois State Police presented the case Thursday to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, which approved the charges.
Adams and Turner remain in custody as the investigation continues. State police said additional charges are expected.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by Illinois State Police and previous FOX Chicago reporting.
What to know about the ‘Speedway Slammer’ ICE detainee facility in Indiana
Miami Correctional Facility can house up to 1,000 ICE detainees.
The warden of an Indiana prison that serves as one of the Midwest’s largest Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers has departed his role as head of the maximum security facility.
Brian English, who ran Miami Correctional Facility in Bunker Hill, announced his exit on LinkedIn.
“After much reflection, I’ve decided to take the next step in my career and will be transitioning out of my role at the Miami Correctional Facility,” he wrote. “Closing this chapter has reminded me just how much can change when a team decides to move forward together.”
English’s announcement described the prison as a “difficult place” recovering from lockdowns, strained community relations and severe staffing shortages when he first took over in October 2022.
“Over the past three years and nine months, we’ve strengthened operations of a maximum-security prison, with a minimum-security unit, infirmary unit and a newly opened 1,000‑bed ICE detention facility,” he wrote. “We rebuilt community relations, expanded partnerships with law enforcement and Grissom Air Force Base, doubled volunteer engagement, grew programming, and improved staffing and retention in meaningful ways.”
English confirmed in a telephone call to IndyStar that Friday, June 26, was his last day on the job.
“I no longer work there,” he said via phone. “I don’t really have any comment about it. I’m just taking some time off, and I’ll be pursuing other opportunities.”
When asked if he was leaving on his own or had forced out, English told IndyStar the decision was “totally his decision.”
“That’s all I’m going to really comment about,” he said. “It was my decision to go.”
The prison, which Trump administration officials nicknamed the “Speedway Slammer” despite local protestations, has continued to suffer from serious problems during English’s tenure. An IndyStar investigation found that violence and drug use were rampant at the facility before it began accepting ICE detainees in October.
Last summer, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that the prison would become an ICE detention site, housing up to 1,000 detainees, as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration. Two detainees have since died at the facility, which as of last month housed more than 600 immigration detainees in addition to about 1,800 state prisoners.
Concerns about conditions at the prison have prompted calls to shut down ICE detention at the facility from U.S. Rep. André Carson, faith leaders and civil liberty advocates. They say detainees have complained of inadequate medical care, inconsistent food service and difficulties maintaining their hygiene.
Although state officials have said the arrangement with ICE will be profitable, delayed payments from the federal government have resulted in expenditures exceeding revenue. Prison officials have said they expect that to change as the arrangement continues.
It’s unclear who will run the prison in the interim or if a new warden has been identified. The Indiana Department of Correction did not immediately respond to an IndyStar inquiry about English’s departure. Neither did ICE.
Contact IndyStar investigative reporter Alexandria Burris at aburris@indystar.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @allyburris and on Bluesky at@allymburris.bsky.social.
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