The recent conviction of Alexis Avila for tossing her newborn baby into a trash dumpster in Hobbs, New Mexico, is a reminder there are other options for desperate women.
The New Mexico Safe Haven for Infants Act allows the parental surrender of babies up to 90 days old at a hospital, fire station or police station without facing criminal charges. Another more anonymous option is "baby boxes." A newborn can be placed inside the box, which locks from the outside. The box is climate controlled, and a camera inside the box sends live video to the cell phones of firefighters or other first responders.
“So it’s anonymous, the mother doesn’t have to bring the baby and hand it to a firefighter she can actually use this device and walk away, and not be seen,” Española Assistant Fire Chief John Wickersham told KOB 4.
The state appropriated $330,000 to install a baby box in each of New Mexico’s 33 counties. Each box costs around $10,000 to install. So far, only Lea County has utilized the funds to install a baby box in Hobbs, where Avila, then 18, tossed her newborn son into the dumpster in early 2022. Her sentencing is set for May 1, when she will face up to 18 years behind bars.
Avila could have used the Safe Haven for Infants Act. Denise Campbell, director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Lovelace Hospital, said under the Safe Haven Law, newborns can be dropped off at any of their hospitals with a staff member present, according to KOB 4.
“The individual will take the baby to the emergency room for stabilization, just to make sure the baby is OK. And then at that point, we obtain chain of custody, and then we need to notify CYFD immediately,” Campbell told KOB 4.
The law does require people to hand the newborn to someone at the hospital, fire station or police station — without fear of facing criminal charges.
“We are here to help,” Campbell said. “We will take in the baby, and we will give you that support.”
Funding for the baby boxes is not being utilized as quickly as some would like. While there is enough money for at least one baby box in each county, only Lea County has taken advantage, according to KOB 4. Española installed the first baby box in the state last year. Española Mayor Javier Sanchez applauded the move saying, “That brings Española to be the first to have a baby box in the state of New Mexico. We’re really excited. We’re really proud."