SCRANTON -- It certainly wasn`t the average day on the job for a Scranton police officer.
Officer James Golden was on patrol last Friday when his role quickly shifted from patrolman to stork. He responded to a call for a woman in labor and ended up delivering her baby!
Just before 10 a.m. Friday, he responded to a call for a woman in labor and found Mohemi Falcon on the sidewalk on Quincy Avenue in Scranton's Hill section.
“I just quick, knelt down and she just started to push and within seconds the baby was out,” said Golden.
Mohemi`s 12-year-old son Roberto was with her at the time. He tells us that his mom was in labor and they were on the way to the hospital when the baby started to come. Roberto ran to a neighbor`s house to call for help.
“So I run to his phone and called 911 and then at that time I was shaking, so I didn`t know what to say,” said Roberto. “And I was very scared. I said, 'Can you just bring the ambulance already?'”
But the baby was out and in Golden`s arms before the ambulance got there.
“A bystander came over and wrapped the baby in a blanket or a shirt or something and literally within 45 seconds the ambulance crew got there, so they just pretty much took over from there and I just stepped back,” said Golden.
Now the family is grateful to Officer Golden for helping bring in their new addition into the world.
“Yeah, I really thank him for helping my mom delivering the baby,” said Roberto.
Officer Golden says he`s grateful to have been a part of that moment.
“It was first of all a relief that everything worked out okay, but besides that, it was just a good feeling,” said Golden. “And that was pretty much the end of my shift, so it was a nice way to end the shift. It was a positive one.”
Both the family and Officer Golden say they have not seen one another since the baby was born, but all say they would love to meet up in person to formally introduce him to their new baby girl.
