WASHINGTON — A Montgomery County police officer took “Take Your Kid to Work Day” to a new level in the overnight hours Thursday: He delivered a baby.
At 12:24 a.m. Thursday, Officer Dan Campbell saw a speeding car on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Thinking it was a traffic stop, Campbell pulled alongside the car. But he didn’t expect what happened next. The husband in the car kept pointing to his wife in the passenger seat saying “baby, baby.”
The couple was Hispanic and didn’t speak much English. But the officer got the husband to follow him in his police cruiser.
With lights flashing, they tried to get to the hospital quickly. Even though they were close to Holy Cross Hospital, it wasn’t meant to be.
After a few blocks, the husband stopped his car and the officer doubled back.
“It was very surreal,” says Campbell.
With the mother’s feet on the dashboard, Campbell saw the baby crowning. In a matter of minutes, he delivered his first baby ever.
“Mom did the work. She did a great job. It got the heart pumping a little bit,” says Campbell.
“Everybody is healthy. I think the baby’s name is Christopher,” says Capt. Paul Starks with Montgomery County Police.
He said he believes the baby boy weighs about 7 pounds.
Police say mom and baby are doing fine and finally made it to Holy Cross Hospital.
As of about 11 a.m. Thursday, Officer Campbell says he hadn’t told his family about the news.
Laughing, he says, “Honestly, I haven’t been home yet. I haven’t even told my wife.”
Campbell says she’ll probably learn about it on the news.
Watch a NBC Washington video about the delivery:
