Baby Wouldn't Wait, So Cranford Police Deliver A Healthy Boy

CRANFORD, NJ — Two members of the Cranford police force helped deliver a baby boy last month when the child's mother suddenly went into labor at home — a particularly perilous situation since the baby emerged with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck.

Patrolmen Thomas Bell and James Knight were on patrol around 8:33 a.m. on Dec. 20, police said. They were dispatched to a 9-1-1 call for a pregnant woman in labor.

Cranford resident Gina Chaves had gone into labor in her Cranford home when her water suddenly broke and the baby’s head had begun crowning, police said.

Patrolman Bell, a 21-year veteran of the police force, quickly assessed the situation, making a determination that their time was limited and the delivery would need to occur in the home.

During the delivery, Bell discovered that the umbilical cord had wrapped around the baby’s neck, police said. Bell was able to remove the cord from around the baby’s neck and deliver the baby boy shortly thereafter.

Everyone, including the newborn’s parents, were relieved when the baby began to cry.

Patrolman Knight took part in comforting the new parents. Baby Lucas was turned over to the Cranford First Aid Squad to assess the newborn and monitor Gina’s condition, police said.

The Cranford First Aid Squad took the mother and baby to Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston for evaluation.

Proud parents Gina and Noberto Chaves of Cranford said Lucas is "healthy" and have thanked responding officers and EMT's for their actions.

According to WhatToExpect.com, at some point before giving birth, a woman's amniotic sac membranes will rupture and the liquid will emerge, known as her "water breaking." This means the baby is less protected from infection. The fluid may emerge as a slow leak, or a gush.

It's rare for a woman's water to break early, but it happens in 10-15 percent of cases. To read about the signs, click here.

The Cranford police can be reached via 911 or for non-emergencies at 908-272-2222.

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