Portales seventh city in state to host 'baby box'

Portales on Tuesday was set to unveil its “baby box,” a safe place where a baby, up to 90 days old, may be left without parents facing criminal repercussions.

Formal unveiling for the Portales baby box at the city’s main fire station, 301 S. Ave. C, was set for Tuesday.

The driving force behind the baby box has been Right to Life of Roosevelt and Curry Counties, according to organization Director Angie Smith, who is also chair of the Republican Party of Roosevelt County.

The national agency that has pushed for baby boxes across the country is Safe Haven, Smith said.

Safe Haven’s first box was installed in Indiana in 2017.

“Safe Haven has been working to get the boxes in any community, county, state that wants to have one,” Smith said.

Smith said the cost to build the baby box was $14,000 to $15,000, and all the money was raised locally.

Local fundraising exceeded cost by about $1,000, which will go to annual maintenance costs, Smith said.

The cost involves contractors to build the box, electrical wiring, plus alarms. Some contractors donated their work, she said.

Smith said she understands Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis is also considering building a baby box.

A billboard campaign will help people know the baby box is available, Smith said.

Smith said Portales joins Hobbs, Carlsbad, Roswell, Espanola, Farmington and Belen as a New Mexico community with a baby box.

Smith said part of what spurred the baby box need was an incident in Hobbs two years ago.

“In January 2022 an 18-year-old woman put her child in a dumpster in Hobbs,” Smith said.

The child survived.

The mother was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

“The baby box is for those who feel they can’t raise their child. The safe haven law gives parents complete anonymity,” Smith said.

Smith said there are guidelines for giving up a child to a baby box.

“The child has to be 90 days old or younger, well cared for and healthy, no signs of abuse,” Smith said.

Smith said giving up the baby is straightforward. The box is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

“The parent just opens the baby box and just places the baby in the bassinet.

There’s also an orange bag for the mother full of information she may need,” Smith said.

There’s also a piece of paper “asking parents questions they may or may not answer. It’s all anonymous,” Smith said.

“With the paper we are asking for a little bit of medical history and details about the baby. We have heard many return this piece of paper with the information,” Smith said.

Portales Fire Chief T. J. Cathey said there is just a bit of extra training involved for fire department personnel.

“There will be some training from Safe Haven, but it’s more about how the box operates,” Cathey said Monday.

Cathey outlined what is supposed to happen when a child is dropped off.

“It’s a complicated and efficient system in a good way,” he said. “Use of the box results in personnel at the fire station being notified and an automatic call goes to dispatch.

“Any time an underage child is unattended in New Mexico, EMS transports the child to the nearest medical facility. In our case that is Roosevelt General Hospital.”

Smith said once the child is checked out and found to not have disease, neglect or abuse the child is surrendered to the state Children, Youth & Families Department.

Smith said the state has a Safe Haven law that as long as the child has not reached 90 days old it may be safely surrendered to a healthcare worker, and the parent will not be charged with abandonment.

Cathey said he appreciates the location of the baby box at the fire department.

“It’s been well known that fire departments are a safe place to surrender a minor. If it saves one life it’s well worth it,” Cathey said.