Frye represents portions of Dearborn, Decatur, Jefferson, Jennings, Ripley, Ohio and Switzerland Counties.
~photo by Olivia P. Tucker
by Olivia P. Tucker
Intern Reporter
On July 7 at The Raymond Jones Complex (EMS Station), west of Scott Memorial Hospital in Scottsburg, the 112th Safe Haven baby box across the nation was dedicated for public use in Scott County.
The climate controlled Safe Haven Baby Box is located in back of the EMS Station and has an alarm system that notifies 911 dispatch when a an infant has been placed in the safe location and surrendered anonymously.
“Indiana has figured this out,” said Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder and CEO Monica Kelsey. “We have a system in place where these mothers don’t have to dump their child in a trash can or a dumpster. They can actually save the life of their child and still do it anonymously at a Safe Haven Baby Box location.”
Kelsey said she is so passionate about the movement of the baby boxes because she herself is was a baby abandoned just 2 hours after she was born to a teenager who was raped. The only way she knows this is because she met her birth mother.
State Rep. Randy Frye, who authored the legislation for use of the Safe Haven boxes in Indiana at EMS stations & volunteer fire departments, said, “It is necessary to give young mothers in crisis an option to surrender their baby. These ladies are heroes, they gave life to the baby and are willing to surrender it in a baby box to give it a chance at life with a loving forever family.”
During the dedication earlier this month, Frye introduced Mary Beth Boonie and Amy Arbuckle from The Madison Mission. They helped nearby Jefferson County get a similar baby box.
In 2021 there were problems with Jefferson County being able to have a baby box so they contacted Frye. At the time, only full-time fire stations and hospitals were able to have baby boxes installed. Frye pushed through a law which passed unanimously to allow EMS stations and volunteer fire stations to be able to have the baby boxes on site.
Jeff and Sarah Broady with J-A Broady Construction volunteered their time to install the baby box. The box was dedicated to their late daughter Emily who passed away at 6 months of age. There is a bench engraved with Emily’s name next to the baby box for those who need a moment to reflect before their decision.
The Raymond Jones EMS Station is located at 1468 Scott Valley Drive off Moonglo Road west of the hospital.