06/12/2026
"ENNIS, Texas — A newborn baby, surrendered anonymously at an Ennis fire station, is healthy and receiving proper care thanks to a network of "safe haven" boxes at fire stations and hospitals across the United States.
"It functioned exactly as it was designed to do," said Ennis fire chief Bill Evans.
"I had him maybe 45 minutes in my care. And I mean, best minutes of my life," said paramedic Crystal Cooper, who was among the first to recover the baby and rush him to a hospital.
But in saving the baby boy, firefighters and paramedics knew that someone else was having the worst day of her life.
"What we can't forget is that there is a mother on the other side of the box. And we have to honor the choice that she made, but also support the decision that she chose," said Monica Kelsey, CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes. She started the nationwide effort in 2015, partly motivated by the fact that as a child she was abandoned.
"But this baby wasn't abandoned. This baby was legally, safely, anonymously, and lovingly surrendered by a parent that wanted something more," Kelsey said. The boxes - air conditioned with a bassinet and blankets inside and with an alarm system that alerts firefighters and hospital staff - also contain a folder of information for the person who is leaving the child behind. The Safe Haven Baby Box program wants to be a resource also for the mothers making this difficult choice. The Safe Haven-Baby Moses Law in Texas protects parents and babies by providing a safe, legal, and anonymous way to surrender an unharmed baby up to 60 days after birth."
Thanks go to the city leaders and firefighters of Ennis, Texas, who are doing their part and more to protect the lives of the most vulnerable and to assist parents in need of assistance.