
ELLENWOOD, Ga. — Parents in crisis will soon have a new way to safely surrender a newborn in Georgia. Georgia’s first Safe Haven Baby Box will open Friday at Henry County Fire Station 6, 30 Fairview Road in Ellenwood. The climate-controlled device allows a parent to anonymously surrender a newborn at any time. Once the exterior door is closed, it locks and alerts first responders. “These are what we do, saving lives and we have the opportunity to save the life of our smallest ones,” Henry County Fire Chief Pat Wilson said. Jaemor Farms — located in Alto, which straddles Banks and Habersham counties — has unveiled its 2026 corn maze theme, which features the Queen of Country. The box became legal under House Bill 350, which took effect July 1. Wilson said the effort to legalize baby boxes began in Henry County, and the fire station’s location near major roads and interstates will make it accessible to parents in crisis. “It’s all anonymous, they can come up to that door — once they open that door they place the baby inside the box, they close the door, that box is locked, the only way to access the child is from inside the building,” Wilson said. Opening the exterior door triggers an alarm for firefighters and 911 dispatchers. Police are also notified, and dispatchers can monitor the inside of the box through a camera. The department’s goal is to reach a surrendered newborn within five minutes and take the child to a hospital for additional care. As a crucial peanut harvest…
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