Jodi Hendricks – New Mexico Family Action Movement
April 22, 2025
As a mother, I am heartbroken by the tragic news that a newborn baby was found dead in a dumpster in Albuquerque. This tragedy is a stark reminder that our system has failed the very mothers who need our support the most. If that mother had known about the Safe Haven Baby Boxes available in New Mexico, or if she had felt protected using them, perhaps this heartbreaking loss could have been prevented. Instead, mothers in desperate situations are left to face fear and uncertainty, not knowing where to turn for help.
This past legislative session, Senate Bill 360 and House Bill 499 were introduced with the goal of protecting mothers and children in crisis. These bills would have provided the legal protections necessary to ensure that mothers could anonymously surrender their newborns at Safe Haven Baby Boxes without the fear of being investigated or prosecuted by CYFD. These bills were an opportunity to empower mothers to make life-saving decisions, but unfortunately, they failed to pass even one committee.
Current state laws mandate that CYFD investigate the parents of any infant surrendered at a Safe Haven Baby Box, a provision intended to ensure the child’s safety. However, the unintended consequence of this law is that it discourages mothers from using these safe, legal options. The fear of legal repercussions makes some mothers feel trapped, and rather than seek help, they abandon their babies in unsafe ways. SB 360 and HB 499 would have removed this barrier, providing mothers with the anonymity and legal protection they need in their most vulnerable moments.
In addition to these bills, the Every Mother Matters Act (EMMA) was introduced to fund programs that would educate mothers on the resources available to them, including the Safe Haven Baby Box program. It was an essential step in ensuring mothers had the support and information they needed to make informed choices. Yet, despite the urgent need, the legislature refused to even hear this bill. The failure to act on EMMA highlights the complete lack of priority placed on protecting both mothers and infants in New Mexico.
Every day, New Mexico mothers in crisis are left to make impossible decisions without the support they deserve. They deserve access to resources and protections that allow them to safely choose life for their child, without fear. By not passing these bills, lawmakers have left mothers with few options but to make dangerous, heart-wrenching decisions.
The tragedy in Albuquerque could have been prevented. If SB 360, HB 499, and EMMA had passed, that mother might have known she had a safe, confidential option. We can’t afford to wait for another life to be lost before we act. It’s time for New Mexico’s lawmakers to do their jobs, bring these bills back next session, and provide the support these mothers desperately need.
It’s time for our legislators to step up, remove legal barriers, and ensure that every mother in crisis knows she has a life-saving option. We must act now to prevent further tragedies like the one we saw this week. It’s time to protect mothers and babies.
