Georgia's first Safe Haven Baby Box opens Friday in Ellenwood

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - A safe option for surrendering an infant anonymously is coming to Georgia for the first time on Friday. 

What we know:

A Safe Haven Baby Box is opening Friday morning at the Henry County Fire Department, located at 30 Fairview Road in Ellenwood. 

Assistant Chief Frank Robinson and Amie Anderson worked to bring the box to the area to give local families a safe surrender option.

First responders and community leaders will bless the box at 9:30 a.m. Friday. Georgia is the 27th state in the country to partner with the organization to set up a baby box.

Parents place the infant inside the climate-controlled container, which immediately triggers three alarms to alert first responders on site. 

Medical professionals then evaluate the child at a nearby hospital before placing the baby with an adoptive family registered in the foster-to-adopt program. 

84 babies have been surrendered since the program began.

What they're saying:

Safe Haven Baby Boxes Founder Monica Kelsey said the organization has worked for years to bring the project to the state. 

"We are thrilled to finally be in Georgia, launching in a state we have been working toward for years," Kelsey said. "This is the fruit of many Georgians rallying together to prioritize safe, anonymous surrender. We are the only organization providing complete anonymity, and we want these mothers to know we are there for them and their infants both before and following a surrender." 

What we don't know:

Officials have not confirmed if additional Safe Haven Baby Box locations are scheduled to open in other Georgia cities later this year.

Henry CountyNews