Second baby safely surrendered at Collins Baby Box

Published 5:00 pm Thursday, July 31, 2025

In May of 2024, Covington County’s Baby Box in Collins was blessed. Later that year, the first baby surrendered in a Mississippi baby box was at that location. Now, a second baby has been surrendered through this baby box. 

The location was placed with the hope of being prepared should a mother in crisis seek to surrender her infant anonymously. The day and time of the surrender will not be released, to ensure anonymity for the parents. 

In 2024, 15 infants were surrendered lovingly and anonymously using the Safe Haven Baby Box program, according to Safe Haven Baby Boxes. There are now 359 Safe Haven Baby Box locations across the country. 

Safe Haven Baby Boxes was formed by Monica Kelsey in 2016 as she learned in adulthood that she was abandoned as an infant. Today, the organization fights tirelessly to protect women in crisis and their infants in a mission to end infant abandonment. A key aspect of this mission is the Safe Haven Baby Box, which enables the legal and safe surrender of a baby with complete anonymity. 

The organization supports women in crisis through its National Hotline, 1-866-99BABY1. The hotline provides free, confidential counseling with expertise in each state’s Safe Haven Law. Education is a key component of Safe Haven Baby Boxes’ mission. 

“We have seen this location be a vital resource for this community now twice. It is proof that preparation and anonymity are key to safe surrender,” said Kelsey. “When a mother surrenders, she is choosing an anonymous closed adoption out of sacrificial love for her infant, and we are proud of her. This infant will soon be with a family who has been eager to adopt.” 

If a woman chooses to surrender her infant via the Baby Box, the door locks when the mother closes the box. Alarms alert the location where a baby has been surrendered, and personnel will retrieve the infant within five minutes. The infant will immediately be transported to the hospital for medical evaluation, and the baby will be with their adoptive family soon. 

Families seeking to adopt a Safe Haven baby should reach out to their local Department of Family Services to register for foster care with the intention to adopt.