Couple struggled to conceive — then a newborn in a box was left at his fire station, and it felt like fate

Chris and Janae Martinez always knew they wanted to be parents, but after 15 years of infertility and heartbreak, they had started to wonder if parenthood would ever be part of their story. Chris, who works as a firefighter in Belen, New Mexico, said it was especially difficult hearing his coworkers talk about their children while he and Janae continued waiting. They eventually decided to pursue foster care, began the process, completed the required training, and in January 2024, they were officially certified. Just a few weeks later, something unexpected took them both for a spin.

On February 6, Chris was on duty at the firehouse when an alert went off. A newborn had been placed inside the station’s Safe Haven Baby Box — a secure, temperature-controlled device that allows someone to anonymously and legally place a baby in safe hands. A cohort study of infants surrendered in Indiana found that babies placed in Safe Haven boxes received timely medical attention, showing how these laws succeed in reducing risk compared to unsafe abandonment.

The infant was wrapped in a towel, his umbilical cord still attached, and Chris was among the first to respond. The baby, later named Mikel, was shivering and turning blue from the cold. Chris immediately called his wife. "The first thing he said was, 'I'm crying right now,'" Janae told Today. Through tears, he told her what had happened, and both of them felt the moment was special. "I knew the moment I laid eyes on him that I wanted to be his dad. I was going to protect him," Chris said. Mikel was rushed to UNM Health System, where he was treated in the neonatal intensive care unit for hypothermia and pneumonia. Two days later, the state approved Chris and Janae to visit him. 

"He was so fragile, and I fell in love with him. I gave him that first bottle, and I just looked in his eyes, and it was instant. I knew," Janae recalled. They visited him every day for the next month. "That was hard because here we were getting attached, and we didn’t even know if we were going to be his foster parents," Janae said. Eventually, the state gave its approval, and the Martinezes began fostering Mikel, until on March 10, they legally adopted him. They gave him the middle name Gracen. "We feel like the grace of God brought him to us," Janae said. Now 13 months old, Mikel, pronounced "Michael," is thriving. He loves pulling socks out of drawers, dancing, cuddling, and asking for kisses, which he calls "besos."

The couple also shared their gratitude for Mikel’s birth mother. "What she did for Mikel was so brave and selfless. We want her to know that we are going to give Mikel the best life — the life that he deserves. He's such an amazing kid," Janae said. Their story was picked up by various media channels, including ABC World News Tonight, which posted it on their Instagram page @abcworldnewstonight, and people were overwhelmed with emotion.

@gingerleekettner said, "My first thought was, God works in mysterious ways! I'm in love with this story!!! The baby is going to be loved and cared for by these lovely people!" @blondeinahat wrote, "So glad these baby safe haven boxes exist and there was a happy ending." @jacklinda50 added, "Congrats on your precious son. Hugs for the mother of the baby who placed him at the firehouse."

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