Baby Born on George Washington Bridge

A mother of eight had an unexpected delivery Saturday when child number nine made an early appearance on the George Washington Bridge, police said. 

Police officers helped deliver the baby girl Saturday morning near the toll booths of the busy span.

Port Authority police say the girl's parents, who are from Monroe, New York, were in a Manhattan-bound taxi at around 6:30 a.m.

Officer Steve Pisciotta said that when the mother said her contractions were four minutes apart, he thought they would have time for emergency medical personnel to arrive.

Then, "I turned around for what seemed like a second, and Officer Watson yelled 'water broke!' And we went into action, and less than a minute later, minute and a half later, she's holding a baby, baby girl," he said. "That quick."

Officer Laverne Watson caught the baby and Pisciotta, a trained emergency medical technician who carries an obstetric kit in his medical bag, clamped and cut the umbilical cord.

After so many kids, the mom handled the birth like an expert, Pisciotta said.

"Maybe that's why she was so calm. She was really good," he said. "It kept us calm knowing that she was calm; the dad was calm."

An ambulance took the mother and baby to New York University Medical Center.

Police say they're doing well.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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