Tuesday's discovery of a newborn baby found dead in a dumpster is not the first time we've seen a heartbreaking incident like this in New Mexico.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Tuesday’s discovery of a newborn baby found dead in a dumpster is not the first time we’ve seen a heartbreaking incident like this in New Mexico.
In fact, this is the fourth time in about three years someone left a newborn somewhere they should not have. It’s also the third time one of those newborns died.
KOB 4 revisited those cases and the ongoing issues with the potential solution.
There’s no way for us to describe the intense emotions young mothers face when they don’t know what to do with their newborn child, but we’ve seen the horrific consequences of their decisions.
Police arrested a young woman down in Hobbs back in 2022 after she was caught on camera throwing her newborn baby in a dumpster. That baby survived.
In early 2023, police arrested an Artesia teen after she gave birth in a hospital bathroom, and reportedly hid the baby in a garbage can. Hospital staff found it, and investigators later revealed the baby died in that trash can.
Just a few months later, we saw an almost identical case in Hobbs, where hospital staff say they found a dead baby in the bathroom of a 16-year-old girl’s room.
Investigators later revealed that the girl miscarried, but it still convinced state leaders to get behind Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Those are places where parents can safely and legally surrender their babies to authorities.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham set aside money to install one in every single county. But, so far, there’s only 10 across the state right now, although more are coming.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue leaders confirms a baby box should be operational at Fire Station 12 near Central and Juan Tabo by the end of 2025.
The installation is one thing, convincing parents to use them is another. One state senator says current state law is not on their side.
“If the baby is just being born and placed in a Safe Haven Box, in good health, good condition, then that mother should not have any kind of fear,” said state Sen. David Gallegos.
Gallegos argues current state law does not protect that mother like it should.
“We just want to be able to give the mom the option without fear of retaliation,” said Gallegos.
Current state statute requires the Department of Public Safety and Children, Youth & Families Department to investigate parents after they surrender newborns, even in the intentionally anonymous baby boxes.
Gallegos says DPS only gets involved if the baby is hurt, but CYFD leaders say their hands are tied.
“We have to make sure, because we do have to go to court, we have to show what our active efforts were to find family or kin that the child could be raised with,” said Teresa Casados, CYFD secretary.
They also have to confirm if those babies have Native ancestry, and therefore belong with certain tribes. But Gallegos fears that lack of anonymity discourages young mothers from utilizing baby boxes.
“If you’re able to give her the security, then they’re going to do the right thing, because this has the least pain for them,” Gallegos said.
Gallegos introduced several bills in recent years to clean up the state’s safe surrender laws to give new mothers that security, and CYFD leaders are on board.
“So that we can ensure that, you know, parents can remain anonymous, that that process can move forward, that we can streamline that process with the court system,” said Casados.
None of Gallegos’ bills made it close to the finish line in 2025, but it seems after this Albuquerque incident, there could be an extra incentive for state lawmakers to get it done next year.
Albuquerque Fire Rescue and Bernalillo County fire leaders say it’s important to remember all of their fire stations are safe surrender locations, no questions asked.
Bernalillo County Fire Rescue Chief Greg Perez sent the following statement:
“Bernalillo County Fire Rescue has not decided to acquire a Safe Haven Baby Box as we do not currently have a fire station that would allow for an individual to discreetly turn over their infant. We continue to search for options that would allow for this. As a reminder, under the New Mexico Safe Haven for Infants Act, anyone needing to surrender their infant can do so at any fire station today, no questions asked.”
AFR Chief Emily Jaramillo also sent the following statement Tuesday:
“Installing a Safe Haven Baby Box at our new Fire Station 12 ensures that no newborn is left in an unsafe situation, offering a safe, anonymous option for parents in crisis. As a mother, I understand that using this box likely comes during an overwhelming and heartbreaking moment. This initiative also highlights the vital importance of supporting postpartum maternal mental health.”
