Officer Honored for Adopting Baby from Opioid Addicted Mom

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A routine call about an Albuquerque convenience store theft turned into a life-transforming moment for an officer who came across upon a pregnant woman he found using heroin. That officer later volunteered to adopt the unborn baby. Officer Ryan Holets and his wife, Rebecca, were honored Monday for adopting the baby girl they named Hope after the addicted mom agreed to let the couple raise her child. The baby is now 6-weeks-old and is recovering after being born with an opioid addiction. "We're blessed," Holets said. City officials called the officer's act selfless, said it gave the infant a chance at a new life and attracted international attention in an era of a rampaging opioid epidemic. In New Mexico, where an estimated 5 percent of all babies are born addicted to opioids, the story also is drawing attention to an epidemic that continues to overwhelm hospitals, law enforcement and social workers. "He's a hero," new Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said at a City Hall special ceremony. The situation started to unfold in September when Holets and Officer Jonathan Kreamer found Crystal Champ, 35, and another man shooting heroin in a field near a convenience store. The officers approached the homeless couple and questioned them. Holets noticed the woman was around eight months pregnant. "Are you pregnant? Why are you doing that stuff?" Holets was heard asking a barefoot Champ on his lapel camera footage. "You are going ...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: News Administration and Leadership Source Type: news