NJ Officer Helps Deliver Baby In Wawa Parking Lot: Report

BERLIN, NJ – A Berlin Borough police officer helped deliver a baby boy after responding to a woman in active labor inside a vehicle at a Wawa on Route 73 on July 6, according to the Berlin Borough Police Department.

Officer Dominic Hodson was dispatched at about 8:21 p.m. and found the woman, identified by the family as Taylor Durham, delivering the baby in the front passenger seat, according to News 12 New Jersey.

He lifted the newborn, cleared his mouth and nose, and confirmed he was breathing and crying before holding him until EMS arrived, police said. The mother, father and newborn were taken to Virtua Hospital in Voorhees for follow-up care.

"She actually had the baby on the seat. So I stepped up, you know, picked the baby up, made sure the baby was breathing and wiped the fluids away from the nose and mouth," Hodson said, according to ABC7.

"The family is all doing very well and I want to commend Officer Hodson for his professionalism [and] calm demeanor during a very stressful situation where he provided outstanding community caretaking to the public we serve," Berlin Police Chief Michael A. Scheer said in a statement provided to News 12.

In a Facebook post, the department congratulated the family and thanked Berlin EMS for its assistance. "Congratulations to the parents of the new baby boy! Glad we could be a part of it and ensure everyone was safe. Thank you to Berlin EMS for your assistance as well! Nice work Officer Hodson!" the post said.

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