Infant found healthy in Hobbs baby box

HOBBS — The baby box located at Fire Station 1 in Hobbs served its purpose Sept. 23 when a newborn boy was placed inside the compartment safe and sound around midday.

Local firefighters and staff responded immediately to the safety alarm, which was triggered when the compartment door was closed, and the infant was quickly transported to Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital for examination and medical care.

The child was found to be healthy and well cared for when found by fire department personnel.

“A miracle happened in Hobbs today when staff responded to Station One’s Baby Box alarm to find a healthy newborn baby boy safe and sound within the incubator. This is all that could be hoped for in such a situation, and staff are elated that the Safe Haven Baby Box served its purpose perfectly and a new life was saved,” said City Manager Manny Gomez.

Sen. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, led the effort to secure state funds for a baby box in every New Mexico county.

“Just over a week ago, the Hobbs community experienced the gut-wrenching tragedy of another abandoned and deceased infant. Today, however, we celebrate a life saved and the mother who made this life-saving choice for her newborn baby boy,” Gallegos said.

“When I initiated the effort to secure state funding for baby boxes, I said that if we saved just one life, it would be worth the investment. A child is alive and well today because the people of Hobbs acted quickly to install this life-saving device, and by the grace of God, we avoided another tragedy,” he said.

Each police station, fire department, and hospital are considered to be safe haven sites which by New Mexico law shall accept an infant without the individual or parent being subject to criminal prosecution. A newborn baby up to 90 days old may be surrendered at one of these sites without worry of repercussions to the parents.

The baby box at Hobbs’ 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 operators that an infant has been placed in the device.

One other Safe Haven Baby Box exists in New Mexico at the Española Fire Station. The Portales City Council last month approved plans for installation of a baby box at the Portales Fire Station after residents raised the $16,000 needed.