Safe Haven Law in Focus After Indy Infant Found in Park
INDIANAPOLIS — A newborn was found dead Monday afternoon in Brookside Park, renewing calls to raise awareness about Indiana’s Safe Haven Law.
The baby was discovered near a walking path inside the park. No other details have been released as the investigation continues.
Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, says the case shows why more education about the law is needed.
“This reinforces the fact that we need to bring more awareness to the Safe Haven Law in Indiana,” Kelsey told WIBC. “Parents can walk into any fire station, police station, or hospital in this state and legally surrender their newborn — no questions asked.”
Indiana’s Safe Haven Law allows a parent to surrender an unharmed infant who is 60 days old or younger. In addition to in-person surrenders, the state also has Safe Haven Baby Boxes — secure, temperature-controlled units installed at fire stations and other locations.
“They can walk up to any baby box, open the door, place their infant inside, shut the door, and walk away,” Kelsey said. “No one sees them. No one knows who they are. The child is safe, and they are safe.”
Kelsey, a retired firefighter and medic, says education is the most effective way to prevent future tragedies.
“We’re not going to save every abandonment,” she said. “But what we can do is educate — make sure this mother knows there’s a legal, anonymous option available.”
She also noted patterns she’s seen in past cases.
“When an infant is placed in a park and found dead, it’s likely that we’re dealing with a parent who is either mentally ill, addicted to drugs, or simply doesn’t care,” Kelsey said. “It’s harsh, but we need to be honest about it. There are people out there who are not in a state to care for a child — and those are the people who need to know about Safe Haven the most.”
Kelsey says awareness can prevent both loss of life and legal consequences.
“This baby didn’t have to die. And now, we’ll likely have a parent spending the rest of their life in prison,” she said. “Both could have been avoided if the Safe Haven Law had been used.”
