Officer Jonathan Sanchez was hired by the Palm Beach Gardens police to protect and serve.
Delivering babies is just a bonus.
Sanchez responded Oct. 7 to a call of a pregnant woman in pain and found Jay Stern, of Belle Glade, on the bathroom floor ready to give birth, the Palm Beach Post reported.
It’s likely Sanchez had never encountered a similar scenario. Palm Beach Gardens police said in a statement that Sanchez was recently hired by the department and still has a week left in his training.
“When I got there, I saw that she was on the floor and the baby was on her way,” Sanchez said in a statement provided by Palm Beach Gardens police. “Instinct just kicked in and I did what I had to do to help her.”
Riley, a 6-pound, 7-ounce girl, was born at 5:43 a.m., the Palm Beach Post reported.
Sanchez, Riley and her mom reunited Friday in Belle Glade.
Stern was house-sitting for a friend in Palm Beach Gardens when she went into labor after taking a shower. She was able to call 911.
“He was a big help,” Stern said of Sanchez. “I couldn’t have done it [without him].”
The statement from police noted that both mom and her baby are doing well, and that Sanchez has “recovered, as well.”
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