by Information on SHBB cases comes from news reports, SHBB Inc. reports on social media, and Blessed to Have Been Abandoned: the Story of the Baby Box Lady by Monica Kelsey. From available public reports, these babies were in no danger of discard or death.
NOTE: Numbering is probably off. Occasionally SHBB Inc skips over a case number, suggesting that a previous case has not been announced. We are currently attempting to reconcile numbers and details as we collect more information. We publish these cases to the best of our ability.
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1. Michigan City/Coolspring Fire Station
Date: November 7, 2017
Baby Information: Girl. Referred to as Baby Hope. Adoptive Name: Grace Marie Harger.
Details: Weighed 7 pounds; umbilical cord attached. Was about 1-hour old when she was boxed wrapped in a grey t-shirt. Adopted by Phil and Misty Harger. Couple believes that God called them to foster and adopt. They know nothing about her parents and didn’t ask. They just wanted her. Family has appeared at one or more SHBB Inc public events. Pictures of Grace Marie and an adopted sibling have appeared in the press.
Selected Sources:
- “I opened it up and that baby just looked me right in the eyes.” Abandoned baby came as a surprise to firefighters expecting a prank, NW Indiana Times, November 8, 2017
- Indiana’s first Safe Haven Baby Box baby helps unveil new box in Greenwood, WRTV-TV, January 31, 2020
- Blessed to Have Been Abandoned p.75-79
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2. Michigan City/Coolspring Fire Station
Date: April 7, 2018
Baby Information: Boy. Referred to as Baby Grace.
Details: Umbilical cord attached; baby seemed healthy. According to SHBB Inc, mother called a few days later to check on him; wanted to know how much he weighed since he was “tiny.”
Selected sources:
- Another baby left in Coolspring Township Volunteer Fire Department’s Safe Haven Baby Box, NW Indiana Times, April 8, 2018
- Blessed to Have been Abandoned, p. 79
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3. Hammond/Franciscan Health
Date: September 19, 2019
Baby information: Girl. Referred to as Baby Grace. Adoptive name: Grace Elizabeth Melgoza.
Details: Baby described by SHBB Inc as “perfect and healthy.” SHBB Inc says mother, who drove from Chicago area to Hammond, contacted the organization a few days after the “surrender,” and it is providing her with “assistance and support.” Adopted by Mario and Jennifer Melgoza, who have appeared several times in the media and frequently attend SHBB events with the baby.
Selected Sources:
- 1st newborn surrendered to Hammond baby box, officials say, NW Indiana Times, September 19, 2019
- “She gave us a gift” Indiana’s baby boxes aren’t just saving babies they’re completing families, WRTV-TV April 17, 2020
- Blessed to Have been Abandoned, p. 80
See also Indiana Case No. 13 below.
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4. Crown Point/Crown Point Fire Center
Date: December 5, 2019
Baby Information: Girl. referred to as Baby Mila. Adoptive Name: Charlotte Sue Ann Strayer
Details: Mother, later identified as “Heather,” or “DH,” left note with medical information. According to SHBB Inc, she contacted the organization a few days later and received “resources and support” from it. She later went public with her story on WRTV.-TV, Says she has another child, but this was the first time she would be a single parent, and felt she couldn’t care for a baby. Claims, also, she was in fear of her life and the life of the baby. Kept her for 2 days and breastfed her. “Heather” appeared on SHBB’s FB broadcast, Beyond the Box to tell her story. According to SHBB Inc, eight days after “surrender” Heather” changed her mind and through SHBB’s Legal Defense Fund hired an attorney to help her regain custody but later changed her mind. “Heather” attends SHBB Inc events, but is not identified publicly as the baby’s mother. Baby adopted by Steve and Jennifer Strayer. Steve is a baseball coach at Crown Point High School and Jennifer quit her social work job to be SAH mom with Charlotte. They believe God planned for them to not have children but felt a loss after Steve’s parents died in 2017-2018 and decided to adopt. He told The Chicago Tribune, “We just thought, ‘Who is going to be there to take care of our personal stuff after we are gone? ‘ That was one of the reasons we decided to adopt.”
Selected Sources:
- Scared mom places her newborn in a Safe Haven Baby Box, now the baby has a loving adopted family, Life News, April 19, 2019
- Behind the Box: A mother’s story of surrendering her newborn out of love, WRTV-TV, June 24, 2020
- Interview with “Heather,” Beyond the Box, August 6, 2020
- Hutton: Crown Point baseball coach Steve Strayer and wife experience “good kind of stress” as adoptive parents of girl left in Safe Haven Baby Box, Chicago Tribune, October 20, 2021
- Another Cloying Adoption Story: Safe Haven Baby Box girl gets adopted; new father says weird stuff, Daily Bastardette, October 4, 2020
- Blessed to Have Been Abandoned p. 80-84
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5. Seymour/Seymour Fire Station #3
Date: January 23, 2019
Baby Information: Girl. Referred to as Baby Mia.
Details: None, other than SHBB saying she was healthy
Selected Sources:
- Student mows lawns to buy baby box that just saved newborn baby girl from infanticide, Life News, January 27, 2020
- Hour old infant left in Safe Have Baby Box at Seymour Fire Station, WBIW-TV, January 26, 2020
- Blessed to Have Been Abandoned, p. 84-85
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6. New Haven/New Haven Central Fire Station
Date: February 19, 2020
Baby Information: Girl.
Details: None other than baby appeared to be healthy
Selected sources:
- “Healthy and perfect” newborn surrendered in New Haven baby box, WTHR-TV, February 19, 2020
- Blessed to Have Been Abandoned, p. 80
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7. New Haven/New Haven Fire Station
Date: June 3, 2020
Baby Information: Boy
Details: None
Selected Sources:
- Blessed to Have Been Abandoned p.80
- A “”Happy Birthday” post indicating date of boxing and sex of baby was posted on June 3, 2022.
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8. Indianapolis/Decatur Township Fire Station #74
Date: October 9, 2020
Baby Information: Boy. Adoptive name: Samuel Barkman
Details: Mother left note saying she loved baby. Adopted by Nicholas and Kimberly Self Barkman. Participated by Baby Box blessing in Vevay; name and pictures appeared in press and social media.
Selected Sources:
- Newborn in good condition at being surrendered at Decatur Township baby box, WTHR-TV, October 12, 2020
- Blessed to Have Been Abandoned, p. 86
- Boy surrendered to baby box in 2020 visit firefighters who saved him, WTHR-TV, July `16, 2022
- Safe Haven Baby Box is Dedicated Blessed,’ and is now available here, Vervay Newpapers. com, August 11, 2022
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9. Undisclosed (possibly “Chicago corridor”)
Date: November 1, 2020
Baby Information: None
Details: According to SHBB Inc, no information was released due to”circumstances”
Selected Sources: Blessed to have Been Abandoned p. 80
NOTE: on October 15, 2022, SHBB Inc posted a Happy Birthday note to a baby girl left in an Indiana baby box. There is no record of a case for that date, and it appears that this birthday and case could be a match
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10. Clarksville/Clarksville Fire Station #1
Date: May 2, 2021
Adoptive name: “Jo.”
Details: Baby was less than 1-hour old when boxed. Umbilical cord and placenta still attached.
Selected Sources:
- “The best 23 minutes I’ve had as a firefighter:” Healthy newborn surrendered to Safe Haven baby box, WHAS-TV, May 2, 2021
- Happy Birthday, baby “Jo.” SHBB Facebook, May 2, 2024
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11. Undisclosed
- No information released as far as we can find. SHBB Inc skipped number from 10 to 12. (See #12 below)
12 Undisclosed
Date: June 24, 2021
Baby Information: None
Details: Boxing announced on Beyond the Box and mentioned at various events. SHBB Inc says details would be disclosed in a few days but weren’t. Case was described as “a little bit different” Cases increased by 1 with no explanation and no mention of #11.
Selected Sources:
- Beyond the Box, June 24, 2021
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12. Hammond/Franciscan Health
Date: April 1-2, 2022
Baby Information: Girl. Adoptive Name: Myah Faltysiki.
Details: Described as healthy, free of drugs, and alcohol. Despite that report, she suffered a stroke during or shortly after birth. that case,. Adopted by Misiwakna, Indiana police officer Bruce Faltyski and his wife, Shelby a Nurse Practitioner. Adoption was finalized during National Adoption Month and made international news.
Selected Sources:
- SHBB Press Conference, April 6, 2022
- 2 babies surrendered at Indiana Safe Haven Baby Boxes within days, WLWT-TV, April 6, 2022
- Newborn baby safely surrendered at Indiana hospital’s baby box, WLWT-TV, April 8, 2022
- Indiana Baby Box Adoption Hits the Wire. We Have Questions. Why Doesn’t the Media? SSHBBN, November 29, 2022
- “Better than we could have asked”: Couple shares baby box adoption story, WTIU-TV, February 9, 2024
- Video Safe Haven Baby Family”is raising money to bring Baby Box to Palestine, KLST-TV, March 21, 2024 (Myah Faltysiki-Texas-Indiana connection)
- “Palestine becomes fourth Texas city to install Safe Haven Baby Box, Palestine Herald-Press, October 29, 2024 (Myah Faltysiki-Texas-Indiana connection)
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13. Carmel /Carmel Fire Station #45
Date: April 4, 2022
Baby Information: Boy
Details: Described as healthy, free of drugs and alcohol.
Selected Sources:
- SHBB Press Conference, April 5, 2022
- 2 babies surrendered at Indiana Safe Haven Baby Boxes within days, WLWT-TV, April 6, 2022
- After 3 years, first infant is surrendered at Carmel Fire Department’s Safe Haven Baby Box, Indianapolis Star, April 7, 2022
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14. Carmel /Carmel Fire Station #45
Date: April 16, 2022
Baby Information: Girl
Details: Described as “healthy”
Selected Sources:
- Newborn dropped off at Carmel fire station for 2nd time this month, WTHR-TV, April 20, 2022
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15. Carmel/Carmel Fire Station #45
Date: May 14, 2022
Baby Information: Boy
Details: Described as “healthy. ” On June 8, 2022, SHBB Inc announced that the parent(s) had come forward to reclaim the baby, but that DCS planned to return him without a DNA test and that the parent(s) already had visitation with him. On TikTok Monica Kelsey unethically divulged private information regarding the health of the infant and his parents. On June 9, DCS announced that it would perform a DNA test before the baby is returned
Selected Sources:
- Another infant surrendered at Carmel Safe Haven Baby Box, WRTV-TV, May 17, 2022
- UPDATE: DCS says DNA test will be done before child left in baby Box is returned to parent ,Fox59-TV, June8,-9 2022
- Safe Haven Baby Box Inc Theater and the Return of Baby 19: Adoptee stories are our own, not for public perusal
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16. Mooresville/Mooresville Fire Station
Date: June 30, 2022
Baby Information: Girl
Details: Described as healthy and well-cared for
Selected Sources:
- Baby girl safely surrendered in Indiana Safe Haven Baby Box, WHAS-TV, July 1, 2022
- Mooresville Fire Department Press Conference, July 7 1, 2022
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17. Schererville/Schererville Fire Station #2
Date; July 5, 2022
Baby Information: Girl
Details: Described as healthy and under 30 days of age
Selected Sources:
- Infant surrendered in Schererville Baby Box. 6tth Indiana baby this year, WTHR-TV, July 5, 2022
- WATCH NOW: |Act of courage”: First infant surrendered at Schererville baby box, NW Indiana Times, July 7, 2022
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18. Elkhart/ Cleveland Township Fire Sation
Date: February 28, 2023 (approximately)
Baby Information: Girl. Adoptive name: Lynne Marie Bullard
Details: Baby described as “healthy.” Placed with adoptive parents Jordan and Gabrielle Bullard of Shelbyville, Indiana on March 25, 2023. Foster parentgs handed her oer to them at a Geto gas station.
Selected Sources:
- Three infants surrendered in five days via Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana WRTV-TV,, March 6, 2023
- 3 newborns surrendered to Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana in 4 days, WTHR-TV, March 5, 2023
- Newborn legally surrendered to Safe Haven Baby Box in Elkhart County, WNDU-TV, March 6, 2023
- Sweet Surrender, KOFC.org, January 20, 2024
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19. Indianapolis/Wayne Township Fire Station
Date: March 2, 2023 (approximately)
Baby Information: None
Details: Baby described as “healthy”
Selected Sources:
- Three infants surrendered in five days via Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana WRTV-TV,, March 6, 2023
- 3 newborns surrendered to Safe Haven Baby Boxes in Indiana in 4 days, WTHR-TV, March 5, 2023
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20. Unknown
Date: March 2023 (approximately)
Baby Information: None
Details: SHBB posted a short note on #27 with no information When #28 was announced she just called it #28 with no explanation of #27. This appears to be an Indiana case, since media reports on #28 indicate it was 4th in the state in 2023, matching up with other reported cases his year.
Selected Sources:
- None
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21. Bloomington Monroe Fire Protection District
Statistics
Date: April 10, 2023 (approximately)
Baby Information: Boy
Details: None other than baby was in box for probably less than a minute
Selected Sources:
- Newborn safely surrendered in Safe Haven Baby Box in Bloomington is fourth in Indiana this year. WRTV-TV, April 14, 2023
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22. Kokomo FS #1
Date: July 17, 2023
Baby Information: Girl
Details: Baby reported to be 2 days old; treated by EMTs from FS#1 and St. VIncent/Ascension Paramedics. According to firefighters the mother left a note with her “sharing love and hopes she had for her daughter.”
Selected Sources:
- 2-day girl surrendered to baby box in Indiana, 5th in state this year. WVIR-TV, July 18, 2023
- Infant surrendered in Kokomo’s Safe Have Baby Box, Kokomo Tribune, July 18, 2023
- SHBB Press Conference, WRTV-TV, July 18, 2023
- “It gives me goosebumps”: Infant surrendered in Indiana Safe Haven Baby Box, Kokomo Union-Reporter July 2023
23. Carmel/Carmel Fire Station #45
Date: August 7/8, 2023
Baby Information: Girl
Details: Described as “healthy.” and “well-loved. Mother is described as an “angel” and courageous.” According to news reports, baby was “picked up” by her prospective adopters within 12 hours.
Selected Sources:
- 4th baby surrendered to same baby box in Indiana in 16 months, WNDU-TV, August 9, 2023
- Newborn girl surrendered in Carmel baby box this week has a new family, WTHR-TV, August 11, 2023
- Baby surrendered at Carmel Fire Station first to be adopted under new law, WISH-TV, December 21, 2023
24. Schererville/Schererville Fire Station #2
Date: November 15, 2023 (approx)
Baby Information: uk.
Details: unk. SHBB INc and news reports release no other information
Selected Sources:
- Newborn surrendered at Schererville Safe Haven Baby Box, WRTV-TV, November 17. 2023
25. Beech Grove/Beech Grove EMS Fire Station #56
Date: December 6-7, 2023
Baby Information: Girl
Details: Baby in good condition; well-cared for.
Selected Sources:
- Child left in Beech Grove baby box is healthy, doing well, WTHR-TV, December 8, 2023
26. Georgetown/Georgetown Township Fire Station #1
Date: Week of January 13, 2024
Baby Information: Unknown
Details: Baby in good condition
Selected Sources:
- Healthy baby surrendered at fire station Georgetown, Indiana’s Safe Haven Baby Box, WDRB-TV, January 22, 2024
27. Fishers Fire Station #397
Date: Approx. July 29, 2024
Baby Information: Unknown
Details: Indiana DCF has custody
Selected Sources:
- Baby surrendered at Fishers Safe Haven Box, WTHR-TV, July 29, 2024
- Press Release: Baby Safely Surrendered to Fishers Fire & Emergency Services, Fishers Fire Department, July 29 2024 Facebook,
28. Woodburn Fire Department
Date: Between September 8-19, 2024
Baby Information: Unknown
Details: Unknown
Selected Sources:
- Baby surrendered at first-ever Safe Haven Baby Box, WTHR-TV, September 10, 2024
- The first-ever Safe Haven Baby Box is still saving babies today, LiveAction, September 11, 2024
TOTAL: Disputed. We are working to determine correct number.
2017: 1
2018: 1
2019: 2
2020: 4
2021: 3 (includes twins?)
2022: 6
2023: 7
2024: 3
Updated: November 5, 2024
