Bernalillo unveils, blesses baby box

BERNALILLO — There is now a Safe Haven Baby Box in the metro area.

Bernalillo, on Dec. 17, unveiled a box at its fire station and had it blessed.

Fire Chief AJ Bonnett said the project started under the previous chief and he only joined in the last bit of it. However, he introduced two firefighters that were the catalyst for the project in the first place.

Richard Maestas and Manny Terrazas spoke at the unveiling.

"It represents safety and compassion for a second chance for a child who needs it," Maestas said.

He said that after a child was left in a dumpster in Hobbs, the baby box became more of an idea.

"Our first thought was how terrible it was for the child, and just as important for the first responders to have that response," he said. "We would much rather see a baby safely surrendered in the arms of the box."

Terrazas said the idea was approved by the Bernalillo Town Council. The department also raised $12,000 to make the box possible.

"This is our vision coming into play," Terrazas said.

Jessi Getrost, executive asistant at SHBB, talked about how the baby boxes got started across the country.

"Today we bless box number 403 in the country and box number 12 in New Mexico," she said.

The baby box was inspired by the executive director's trip to Africa, according to Getrost. The idea made its way back to Indiana, where they started a business to make the boxes. They then took the idea to legislation, "which was not an easy task to get this passed," she said.

She added that the director took influence from her own story.

"She was abandoned as an infant ... she was just dropped off in the hospital," she said.

She said so far there have been 71 babies surrendered nationally using the box system, and the agency has helped 77 women with hand off-surrenders.

The boxes are designed to trigger a silent alarm when a baby is placed in the box, alerting personnel to the surrender.

"We always say we don't want this box to be used, but now the option is here," she said.

Mike McDonald, of Faith Church Rio Rancho, blessed the box.

"What a great honor it is to get to share in this event with you all. Upholding the dignity of human life by protecting the weak and the vulnerable is foundational to the flourishing of society," he said.

Before he led the group in a prayer, he read a couple of passages from the Bible.

"In Psalm 82, we're told to give justice to the weak and the fatherless, maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute, rescue the weak and the needy," he said. "That is exactly what's being offered in this box."

He said it gives "mothers in a crisis pregnancy and, more importantly, the baby a legitimate pathway toward life."

He also read James Chapter 1 and said communities that regard those margins are communities that are "modeling what Jesus did so often in his life."

Lastly, Getrost said the box "offers no shame, no name and no blame." 

Fire Station One is located on Camino Del Pueblo near Calle Malinche. For more information, visit SHBB.org.