In 1972, Monica Kelsey was born to a mother who conceived her during a sexual assault. Although some tried to convince the 17-year-old to have an abortion, she carried her baby to term instead and abandoned her at a hospital after birth. Years later, Kelsey traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, where she saw her first “baby box.” Coupled with her own birth story, she felt compelled to bring the idea to the United States.
In 2016, Safe Haven Baby Boxes installed its first box in Indiana. Kelsey devotes her life to educating others about Safe Haven laws and how to protect babies and their moms.
Safe Haven laws vary by state, but all allow parents to anonymously surrender unharmed newborn babies with no questions asked. Not all states have Safe Haven Baby Boxes, but the laws typically apply to places like hospitals, fire stations, and police stations. Kelsey has an active social media presence and often shares stories of safe surrenders. But on July 1, 2025, she had a different message for her TikTok viewers.
The typically upbeat Kelsey said she experienced a “problem” with an Indianapolis hospital that she felt compelled to share. A mother called Safe Haven Baby Boxes and said she planned to surrender her newborn. Kelsey gave the mother directions to the hospital and then made a courtesy phone call to let them know they were on their way. She introduced herself and asked the charge nurse if she was familiar with Safe Haven laws. The nurse assured her that she was, but then things changed.
@safehavenbabyboxes A hospital in Indianapolis would have screwed up this safe haven surrender, so we sent a mom in crisis to a fire station. #monicakelsey #beyondthebox #changingthenarrative #hospital ♬ original sound – Monica Kelsey
“You’ve got a mom that’s coming within an hour. She’s going to walk in, she’s going to hand you a child, she’s going to turn around and walk away. You understand that it’s no questions asked?” Kelsey asked the nurse.
The nurse replied in a way that bothered Kelsey. “She says, ‘Hang on a second. We can’t just leave a baby unattended in the ER,'” Kelsey explained.
Kelsey replied that the nurse clearly didn’t understand the Safe Haven Law. She said the nurse asked if she knew the mom’s name, and at that moment, she realized this was not the right place for this mother. Instead, Kelsey arranged for the mom to go to a nearby fire station.
Ultimately, Kelsey felt like she made the right choice because the firefighters have “the love and respect and grace for these parents who are trying to do the right thing.”
The story outraged Kelsey’s followers, who couldn’t understand the nurse’s ignorance.
“The safe haven law is literally life and death of an infant,” someone wrote. “Who says, ‘we can’t have an unsupervised child in the ER’?! Lady! your supervising this child once mom hands it over.”‘
Another person wrote: “The point of the Safe haven law is to protect MOM and BABY. they’re not supposed to ask any questions other than are you ok? Do you need medical assistance? That Hospital dropped the ball big time.”
Many praised firefighters for their kindess.
“Firefighters are in it to save lives, risking theirs, not surprising they did the right thing, with compassion,” someone shared.
“Almost 13 years ago one of the fist things I was taught during orientation at my local Hospital in Ohio was the safe haven law,” a followers explained. “If someone just walks up, hands you a baby and turns around to walk away… Just let they walk away and you don’t ask questions…Find a doctor or nurse and tell them what happened! Very simple!!”
