Crime & Safety
Newton Police Officer Helps Deliver Baby
"At that point it was kind of clear she's not going to make it to the hospital. So I just had to help," the officer told Patch.
NEWTON, MA — It was just another morning for Newton Police Officer Declan Healy — until he delivered a baby.
Last Thursday on a routine call, dispatch crackled over the radio just before 5 a.m. that a woman was in labor around the corner from where Healy happened to be. He drove up to a house on Emerson Street, beating the ambulance. Tom Womersley, who had been on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, ushered him inside. And Healy saw right away the baby was just not going to wait.
"At that point it was kind of clear she’s not going to make it to the hospital. So I just had to help," Healy told Patch.
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The officer is not trained in the finer skills of midwifery, but he was trained in the basics during the academy and had his in-service training to fall back on.
"It definitely helped, but it’s one of those things you never think you’re going to have to do," he said.
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Healy, who has been with the department since 2005, did not waste a moment.
"Not to sound like a cliche police officer; Honestly, I was just thinking about what I had to do, and what the next step was and just trying to help out and make sure everything went well," he said in an interview. At 5:03 a.m. just minutes after he'd arrived, Healy radioed to the dispatch to request a time-stamp to record the exact time of birth.
The dispatch team could hear the baby in the background and cheered as he introduced her to her calm parents.
"Looking back, it’s such a special experience. So, I’m glad that I could help. I’m glad that every thing worked out well, and the baby is healthy. And I’m glad I could just be a part of that —however unplanned it was," said Healy, who has no children of his own.
He said it was especially sweet to see the joy on the parents' faces right after baby Charlee was born.
He wrapped the baby in a towel, handed her to her mother, and in came the paramedics. By the time the Wormersleys looked around the room was full of first responders sharing their special moment, including the team from Newton Fire Engine 1 with Lt. Chris Jenkins, Firefighters John Kennedy, David McGlame, and Daniel Rufo.
"It wasn’t until later on that I realized, 'wow, I just delivered a baby,'" he said.
Although he knows of at least two others who have helped deliver babies in Newton over the years, it’s a rarity.
"I know it’s not something we do every day. But you show up, you just do your job and do the best you can. And I did, and I’m glad it worked out."
It's his job, he said, to show up and help others.
Wednesday Healy and the 911 dispatcher met the parents and their daughter for the first time, since helping them at their Newton Corner home less than a week ago as the mayor and Healy's supervisor Lt. George Mead looked on.
They shook hands and Healy got to hold the baby again.
"I'm still in shock," said the new mom Chelsea Womersley, during the meeting at the Newton Police Station.
"We're really glad Officer Healy got there when he did. Perfect timing, actually. Dispatch helped me a lot to calm down and try to help me out 'til support arrived. It was crazy but it was magical all at the same time," said the new dad Tom Womersley.
At the end of the meeting, Tom handed Healy a card, thanking him one more time, and the two agreed to keep in touch.
Healy's supervisor told Patch that in the past two decades, there have only been about four similar instances of an officer having to help deliver a baby like this.
"It's not unheard of, it's just not something that happens every day," said Mead who heard the call and was able to congratulate Healy shortly after.
Police Chief David MacDonald praised Healy as a humble officer and for keeping his cool.
"The dispatcher and police officer did a phenomenal job," he said in a phone interview.
Mayor Ruthanne Fuller cooed over baby Charlee, congratulated her parents and commended Healy and dispatcher Aleah Donahue.
"These are good people and their well-trained. You can see it," Fuller told Patch.
Watch a video of the press conference a week later:
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Photos by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff
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