Santa Cruz Sentinel:
By Jessica M. Pasko
SANTA CRUZ -- A 29-year-old Clearlake woman arrested last weekend gave birth to a baby in the lobby of the Santa Cruz County Jail early Monday morning.
The woman had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk in public Sunday afternoon. Jail staff initially refused to book her because she was pregnant and intoxicated, sheriff's Sgt. Steve Carney said. She was evaluated at Dominican Hospital and then brought back to the jail Sunday evening for booking.
The Sheriff's Office is not identifying the woman because of medical privacy laws.
Early Monday morning, she was released when jail employees determined she was sober and OK to leave. Her brother was waiting in the parking lot and as the woman was being escorted out of the jail lobby, she went into labor. Medical staff at the jail assisted the woman, who delivered a baby girl estimated to be two or three months premature.
The child had to be resuscitated by jail medical staff before paramedics arrived, Carney said.
"They did a good job," he said of jail staff. "It's nice to see that when a medical emergency like this happens, correctional staff is able to do something."
Carney said he'd never heard of a similar incident happening at the jail.
"They (the staff members) probably saved this little baby's life," he said. "What if she (the mother) had walked away?"
The mother and baby were taken to Dominican Hospital for further observation and care, deputies said.
MORE
By Jessica M. Pasko
SANTA CRUZ -- A 29-year-old Clearlake woman arrested last weekend gave birth to a baby in the lobby of the Santa Cruz County Jail early Monday morning.
The woman had been arrested on suspicion of being drunk in public Sunday afternoon. Jail staff initially refused to book her because she was pregnant and intoxicated, sheriff's Sgt. Steve Carney said. She was evaluated at Dominican Hospital and then brought back to the jail Sunday evening for booking.
The Sheriff's Office is not identifying the woman because of medical privacy laws.
Early Monday morning, she was released when jail employees determined she was sober and OK to leave. Her brother was waiting in the parking lot and as the woman was being escorted out of the jail lobby, she went into labor. Medical staff at the jail assisted the woman, who delivered a baby girl estimated to be two or three months premature.
The child had to be resuscitated by jail medical staff before paramedics arrived, Carney said.
"They did a good job," he said of jail staff. "It's nice to see that when a medical emergency like this happens, correctional staff is able to do something."
Carney said he'd never heard of a similar incident happening at the jail.
"They (the staff members) probably saved this little baby's life," he said. "What if she (the mother) had walked away?"
The mother and baby were taken to Dominican Hospital for further observation and care, deputies said.
MORE