A second miracle has happened in Hobbs. A healthy baby boy was placed in the Safe Haven Baby Box located at Fire Station 1 in Hobbs the week of May 20. A Friday, May 31 City of Hobbs press release (PDF) states that for “the second time” the Safe Haven Baby Box has “served its purpose.” The press release continues, “A healthy newborn baby boy was placed safe and sound inside the compartment.”

The Safe Haven Baby Box at Fire Station 1 is “an environmentally controlled incubator device designed to keep an infant in a secure and safe environment with sufficient oxygen, a comfortable temperature, and equipped with a transparent door and safety alarm to immediately notify the operator(s) that an infant has been placed in the device.” 

During this second incident in Hobbs, trained staff immediately responded to the safety alarm that notified them of the placement of an infant in the box. Following outlined procedures personnel immediately responded to the alarm. After being secured the child was immediately transported to Covenant Health Hospital Hobbs.

The press release reiterates, “It is important to repeat the baby was found to be healthy and well cared for when found by Hobbs Fire Department personnel.”

The baby is now in the custody of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department.

The public is reminded that every fire station, police station and hospital in New Mexico is considered a “safe haven” site. Under New Mexico law these sites shall accept an infant without the parent/individual being subject to criminal prosecution. A newborn up to 90 days of age “…may be surrendered at one of these sites without worry of repercussions to the patent(s) in the state of New Mexico.”

New Mexico now has seven Safe Haven Baby Boxes. The first was installed in Española in 2022. The seventh in Farmington in February of this year. As previously reported by the Lea County Tribune, the Baby Box at Hobbs` Fire Station 1 was activated for the first time in September 2023.