We first heard of this story in late January. A New Mexico woman named Alexis Avila had just given birth to a baby boy. Allegedly, she then placed the baby into a garbage bag and “tossed” the bag into a dumpster, an incident that was caught on video and widely viewed across the country. It was heartbreaking to watch.
Once discovered by passersby, the infant was taken via helicopter to a nearby hospital where he was treated for severe hypothermia. During a subsequent hearing, prosecutors stated:
“In my 27 years of doing this, I have never seen anyone, child or adult, have a temperature that was not read with a digital thermometer.”
Fortunately and remarkably, the baby survived and is now living with the father, Stephen Astorga, and his parents. According to a report by the Daily Mail shortly after the incident in January, the baby’s grandfather, Oscar Astorga, was doing everything possible to gain custody of the little boy, who has since been named Saul.
“Of course, we’re trying to get custody. Of course. He is my grandson. That’s why we can’t comment on anything because we’re trying to get my grandson.”
According to a report by KRQE, however, Avila’s attorneys have filed a motion for visitation rights for Avila and perhaps even more. We’ve also learned that Avila had almost immediate regrets, having stated on the night of her arrest, “If the baby is okay, I want it.” It now appears that Avila’s lawyers may indeed be looking to have the young mother regain custody of baby Saul.
While this tragic situation plays out in the courts, Avila herself remains under house arrest. Her attorneys have argued, “she shouldn’t face felony child abuse with great bodily harm since the baby survived.” Meanwhile, prosecutors have been adamant in their position:
“This wasn’t someone driving to the hospital, driving to a clinic, driving to a friend’s, driving to someone to seek help. She knew what she was doing at the time.”
Regardless of the outcome, the story remains a tear-jerker. Avila is only eighteen years old, but that fact is no excuse, though many have tried to use it as one. She’s old enough to understand what she was doing and the likelihood that she was effectively murdering her child when she threw it in the dumpster. What’s equally sad about the story is what it says about American culture.
We live in a society where sex has been sensationalized, childbirth has been trivialized, and human life has been minimized. Narcissism is applauded, and if babies are inconvenient, abort them. It’s all about you, and your life, young lady. Don’t worry about the precious life within you. Such incidents as these are enabled by such a mindset and are inevitable. The baby was already delivered? So, what? It’s just a baby.
Perhaps Alexis Avila has truly changed. Maybe she sincerely regrets what she did and has a better grasp on the preciousness of life. Let’s hope that’s the case, and let’s pray that Avila grows into a strong and nurturing mother for baby Saul. And let’s also pray that our culture rethinks its disregard for human life, particularly the lives of the most vulnerable among us.
By Jess Lawson
Jess Lawson is a regular contributor to The Blue State Conservative and a passionate, conservative millennial who loves America.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Blue State Conservative. The BSC is not responsible for, and does not verify the accuracy of, any information presented.
Featured photo is a mug shot from Hobbs, New Mexico Police Department.
This story syndicated with permission from The Blue State Conservative