SEPTA Officers Help Mother Deliver Christmas Day Baby On Subway Train
A couple of SEPTA (Southern Pennsylvania Transit Authority) officers jumped into action and made a Christmas delivery like no one could have possibly imagined. On Thursday evening, the officers were able to work some magic and help a mother deliver her baby while on board the subway train.
It was a baby boy.
According to NBC Philadelphia, the delivery happened around 6 p.m. on a Market Frankford Line subway train underground. It was in Center City Philadelphia just as an eastbound train was coming up on the stop at 15th Street.
Toney Harris-Saunders was on board the SEPTA train when the Christmas delivery happened. He was heading to see his family for the holiday, when he could tell something was going on.
“When she was on the train, I guess the baby said, ‘I’m ready to come out now.'”
The 26-year-old resident of Philadelphia helped as well by dialing 911, when he noticed the issue at hand. Harris-Saunders referred to the situation as a “phenomena,” when he saw the woman beginning to have her baby on the SEPTA train on Christmas.
“I helped relax her and a couple of other people helped her as well… told her to relax, to take some breaths.”
CBS News reported that Officer Dorrell James and Sgt. Daniel Caban met the subway train as it arrived at the 15th Street Station. They boarded the train, and Caban knew things were progressing in a hurry.
“As soon as we got there, I could see the baby’s head coming through her sweatpants, and we just went right to work.”
The SEPTA officers had to do just that because it wasn’t long after they arrived that the Christmas baby made his arrival too. The officers delivered the baby on board the SEPTA train and removed the umbilical cord from his neck.
They then placed the baby boy in the arms of his mother, and his father took his shirt off to wrap around his newborn son.
Shortly after, the mother and baby were taken to Hahnemann Hospital nearby, and both were in good condition. SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestell III was so excited about the Christmas baby that he tweeted about it.
Transit Police SGT and PO deliver baby on Market Frankford El train!!!! WOOHOO!!! Now that’s a Christmas gift!!!
— Thomas J. Nestel III (@TNestel3) December 25, 2014
With one more passenger on board the SEPTA train for Christmas night, there was another matter at hand. Who was going to pay his fare? Nestell handled that one as well.
For those that have asked, I have waived today’s fare for our newest rider. Congratulations!!!
— Thomas J. Nestel III (@TNestel3) December 26, 2014
The Christmas baby born on a SEPTA train has not yet been given a name by his parents after the semi-stressful ordeal.
As one witness said though, “I know it’s definitely a good Christmas for that family.”
[Image via 6 ABC]
