The first newborn discovered inside Florida’s initial Safe Haven Baby Box has found a permanent home with someone very special.
Little Zoey’s rescuer and his wife had been trying for years to start a family, so when they met the tiny baby girl, it seemed their lives were about to change forever, WHAS reported Wednesday.
When the firefighter, who is now her adoptive father, opened the baby box at Ocala Fire Rescue on January 5 and noticed a shoelace was tying off the baby’s umbilical cord, he rushed her to the hospital.
It was not long before the couple began the adoption process and she went home with them two days later, according to her adoptive mother.
“We really felt in our hearts that we wanted, to let the birth mom know in some way shape or form that she is safe, she is happy, and she is very loved,” the woman added, noting she officially became part of their family in April.
After she was surrendered, Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn said during a press conference, “I’m so happy to hear of this miracle baby,” adding officials were glad the box was a resource for the baby’s birth mother.
“I’m sure there will be a bright future ahead for this precious child,” Guinn noted.
In a social media post January 5, Ocala Fire Rescue said it became the first fire department in the state to unveil such a box in December 2020:
Video footage shows Zoey happy and healthy in her adoptive home where she is surrounded by those who are determined to make sure she has everything she needs.
When speaking of her birth mother, the baby’s adoptive mom had only encouraging things to say about her and the situation that resulted in adoption.
“I think that it’s very respectable what she did,” the woman told News4Jax.