Dispatcher Talks Dad Through Frantic Newborn Birth Off Route 1

SAUGUS, MA — Police are crediting a dispatcher with talking a father through delivering his newborn baby, who was born unresponsive with an umbilical cord around his neck in a minivan off Route 1.

Saugus Police Chief Ronald Giorgetti said Dispatcher Ryan Bancroft received a frantic early Monday morning call saying he was driving his wife to the hospital when she went into labor. The man called while driving on Essex Street near the Square One Mall and could see the baby's head.

Bancroft told the man to pull over and sent an ambulance and police.

The baby was delivered in the back of the van with the umbilical cord around its neck and not breathing before anyone arrived. Bancroft talked the man through removing the cord from around the baby's neck and administering CPR. When the man started giving CPR, the baby started breathing and crying.

Officer Pedro Youssef arrived a short time later and took care of the situation until paramedics arrived.

The baby and mother are now doing well.

"I want to commend our staff for their actions that assuredly helped to save this baby's life and provided a calming presence for the family in a very hectic and scary situation. We train for situations like these, but it is rare to have a call like this and I am really thrilled to see it had a happy ending," Giorgetti said. "I spoke to the father on Monday morning and was told that the baby and mother are healthy and doing just fine."

Image via shutterstock