Woman gives birth at subway stop

NEW YORK (WABC) -- It was a remarkable scene Thursday morning on the D train in the Bronx.

A pregnant woman on her way to a doctor's appointment went into labor.

The problem was her beautiful baby had no intention of waiting for her to get to the hospital.

So with the help of some calm and brave NYPD officers that mother gave birth right in the subway station.

After a night of inconsistent contractions, Tamika Snipe and her mom decided it was time to go to the hospital.

But at the 161st Yankee Stadium subway stop, the 21-year-old knew she couldn't make it.

"It was extremely fast. The water broke and by the time I got downstairs he was ready to go," Tamika Snipe, the mother said.

"She said, 'Mommy, I'm in pain'. She said, 'The baby's coming.' I said, 'No, not right now.' But I looked at her face and she looked like a ghost," said Lorell Snipe, grandmother.

Fortunately, a Good Samaritan ran to the Transit Police office for help.

Officers carried her into an office there, knowing they didn't have much time.

"We move all the chairs. I put garbage bags on the floor we got everybody's coats. We threw it in the floor. We took of her cloths and the head was out," Officer Janelli Garcia said.

"The baby cried and we went from scared to elated to a relief," Officer Vargas Benitez said.

Doctors at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, say Maxwell William Snipe is in perfect health weighing 7 pounds and measuring 20 inches.

"I'm so thankful. What if I would have delivered at a different train station without police officers. I'm happy. I'm grateful," Tamika Snipe said.

Mother and baby are expected to go home in two days

Tamika's 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter were at school and hadn't gotten the news yet.

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new york city, bronx, baby, subway, new york news, carolina leid

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