The issue seems to be bipartisan. It is one of those things that would have been pushed aside in light of other issues — taxes, crime, minimum wage — had the worst of the worst not happened right here in Lea County, specifically in Hobbs – a newborn was thrown in a dumpster. 

Who knows what would have happened to the infant on that cold, January day had three unsuspecting individuals, sometimes referred to as “angels”, not just happened to come by to search and find whatever they could of value in the dumpster? 

Now, after the fact, New Mexico Republicans and Democrats alike are taking a closer look at the state’s Safe Haven Act. Some are supporting expanding current legislation to fund the installation of “baby boxes” throughout the state. The hope is to provide an alternative to what happened in Hobbs on January 7.

Current Safe Haven Law

The current New Mexico Safe Haven law (PDF) allows babies to be surrendered to law enforcement officers, healthcare providers or first responders during the first 90 days of their lives. Abandonment with the current law is not an issue; however, face-to-face contact between parent(s) and a third person(s) is necessary for all of this to happen. 

“Baby boxes” — that set the stage for completely anonymous abandonment — change everything, and Senators David Gallegos (Rep.) of Eunice and Leo Jaramillo (Dem.), who represents Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Sandoval and Santa Fe counties, want them in New Mexico. 

The senators have introduced a bill into this legislative session with a price tag of $1,000,000 to fund the installation of “baby boxes” in all of New Mexico’s 33 counties. Each box would cost $30,000 and would provide “heat regulation and silent alarms”. 

“It’s about safety of the children and giving the mom an option,” Sen. Gallegos is quoted as saying in an article posted at the KOAT Action News website. 

The same story also quotes State Rep. Ambrose Castellano, (Dem.), of District 70 that includes San Miguel, Santa Fe and Torrance counties, as saying, “It’s all confidential. You can just leave the baby and nobody knows who left it, and at least one life will be saved.” 

Rep. Castellano last year introduced a bill similar to this year’s that failed. After the recent incident in Hobbs, Castellano is hopeful that this year’s proposed legislation will have more widespread support than was given to his bill, especially in the Senate. 

Jump-starting the proposed statewide legislation is the City of Española. Community leaders there have already approved the installation of a Safe Haven “baby box”. “Española is getting New Mexico’s first ‘baby box’, allowing for infants to be safely surrendered, anonymously, states an article posted at KRQE.com. 

The Baby Box Concept 

Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey brought the idea of the little refuges for unwanted babies to the United States after learning that she was abandoned as an infant and after seeing a “baby box” in operation at a church, in Cape Town, South Africa. 

According to the Safe Haven Baby Box website, Kelsey “has made it her personal mission to educate others on the Safe Haven Law and to do whatever it takes to save the lives of innocent babies from being abandoned. The Safe Haven Baby Box takes the face to face interaction out of the surrender and protects the mother from being seen.”

Education and Awareness 

Education and awareness are critical to the prevention of “illegal infant abandonment”. 

Educating youth about alternatives is essential. The Safe Haven Baby Box website suggests speaking to students in schools. 

Training for first responders, health care workers and law enforcement officers is also necessary, says the Safe Haven Baby Box website. “We find that many first responders [healthcare workers and law officers] are familiar with the law, but need more training on how to handle safe surrenders and their response to mothers-in-crisis.”

“Having a baby box in a community provides a focal point to support the Safe Haven Law and allows our first responders and community with a proactive method to eliminate illegal abandonment.”

Photo by Intapa Infantil