Last week, Kentucky saw its first infant anonymously dropped off at one of its “baby box” safe surrender locations. Starting Feb. 17, Knoxville mothers in crisis will have that option as well, when the Knoxville Fire Department opens Tennessee's first Safe Haven Baby Box at its Western Avenue fire station.

A "baby box" is just what it sounds like: a temperature-controlled bin installed in the outside wall of a fire station, hospital or other location where mothers can safely and anonymously drop off their newborn babies.

Tennessee has had a safe haven law since 2001, which allows mothers to surrender their newborns under certain circumstances. But it wasn't until this past May that the state enacted a safe haven baby box bill, which adds a layer of anonymity by allowing mothers to place newborns in "baby boxes" without having to interact with staff at a surrender location.

Knoxville's new baby box was paid for by the Craig Foundation, with LaVerne Craig cited as a major champion of the safe haven law. The Knoxville location is the 135th in the nation, according to Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

The Knoxville Fire Department had not had a baby surrendered under the safe haven law, said spokesman Mark Wilbanks. But installing the baby box still sends an important message, he said.

"The big thing for us is, we're trying to provide a place where someone can anonymously and safely leave their child, if they're in crisis and don't feel they can safely take care of that child," Wilbanks said. "We're not here for judgment. We're here for someone to turn to; we're a community resource."

Knoxville's baby box is located at Station No. 17, 4804 Western Ave. The baby box is located on the front left side of the building.

Knoxville Fire Department will hold a blessing ceremony for the new baby box at 2 p.m. Feb. 17. Safe Haven Baby Boxes founder Monica Kelsey will speak at the event, along with Wilbanks, and the blessing will be given by Capt. Paul Trumpore.

The safe haven law was enacted after an abandoned newborn died of severe dehydration in Townsend in 2000, according to the nonprofit Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee.

The law was passed in 2001 and amended in 2020, and allows mothers to drop off unharmed newborns, 14 days old or younger, to staff at any the following "safe haven" facilities, provided the locations are staffed 24 hours a day:

The newborn will be taken to a hospital for a medical examination and then to the local Department of Children’s Services office. Babies could be placed in foster care until an adoptive family is found.

Police and family members aren't notified after the baby is given to the facility. According to the law, the mother doesn't have to provide any information about herself or the child. If the mother does provide information, it is only disclosed to the Department of Children's Services.

Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee says more than 100 babies have been surrendered to facilities in Tennessee since the law was enacted.

State Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, who is a physician, pushed to create drop-off "baby boxes" at existing safe haven locations last year. Briggs' safe haven baby box bill, which was signed into law by Gov. Bill Lee in May, amended the safe haven law to allow (but not mandate) safe haven facilities to install newborn drop-off boxes and create standards for those baby boxes. 

These drop-off boxes are climate-controlled and have a door that automatically locks after a newborn is placed inside, which triggers a silent alarm. A door inside the building opens, allowing medical staff to take care of the baby. The infant will be attended to within five minutes and medically evaluated.

There are 112 active baby boxes in the United States, with boxes placed in Indiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and now Tennessee. Nationwide, 24 infants have been placed in baby boxes since 2017, and 125 surrenders have resulted from calling the national Safe Haven Baby Box hotline, according to Safe Haven Baby Boxes.

The confidential Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee Help Line is 1-866-699-SAFE, according to the DCS website.

Liz Kellar is a public safety reporter for Knox News. She can be reached by email at lkellar@knoxnews.com.