A Safe Haven Baby Box is being credited for saving a newborn’s life in Hobbs, New Mexico, just months after being installed at a fire department, KRQE News reported on Sunday.
“This is a great day for the community of Hobbs, New Mexico. With all the tragedy that’s been going on with these types of incidents in New Mexico, this is a great day,” Hobbs Interim Fire Chief Mark Doporto said.
Fire Station One received an alert on Saturday afternoon that the baby box incubator had been used.
“I mean, we probably get at least once a week a false activation, whether it’s the weather or electricity or something going on in that direction. But it actually said baby box door open, and then a few moments after I got a follow-up text saying item in the baby box,” explained Doporto.
The Safe Haven Baby Box was created for people with newborns up to 90 days old to surrender them safely without legal repercussions, and to deter parents from abandoning their newborns, potentially leaving them to die. The baby box has an environmentally controlled incubator device that controls the temperature and provides sufficient oxygen. The Hobbs baby box is the second one to be installed in the state of New Mexico, according to Hobbs Fire.
The Bowling Green Fire Department’s Safe Haven Baby Box at BGFD’s Fire Station 7 is seen Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, in Bowling Green, Ky. (Grace Ramey/Daily News via AP)
The infant who was surrendered was immediately taken to Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital to be examined and receive medical treatment.
“This baby box is a huge benefit to all at-risk mothers. Sometimes, they are lacking support from family, from community, whatever it may be, and we want them to have a safe place for their child to be cared for if they feel that they are not able to do so,” Hobbs spokesperson Meghan Mooney said.
The Hobbs baby box was installed in May, and was put in “after Alexis Avila was seen on surveillance video throwing a trash bag with her newborn boy inside into a Hobbs dumpster when she was 18,” according to the report.
Hobbs Fire said the box is already up and running again for future use.
“The Hobbs Fire Department is very proud and happy to have a serviceable baby box for our community, and we’re even more happy that a brave and courageous person decided to make the right decision and put this baby in the baby box,” Doporto said.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes installs baby boxes around the country and has more than 100 locations, according to the organization’s website.
More information about the baby has not been released yet. Hobbs Fire said the baby is in the custody of the Children, Youth, and Families Department.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
