A mother from Chicago was forced to give birth inside her vehicle, just 8 minutes after being removed from a Crown Point hospital, after she was not “far enough along” to be considered in active labor due to only being 3 cm dilated and “should come back later”. Videos circulating social media show the woman in visible pain being wheeled out by hospital staff.
The videos and pictures circulating were posted by Leon Wells, depicting his wife, Mercedes, and their treatment at Franciscan Health Crown Point followed by Mercedes giving birth to their child on the side of the road, as they were on their way to a Munster hospital moments after being removed from Franciscan Health in Crown Point.
With the posts gaining a mass of attention with shares, commentary, outrage and concern through social media. Some online commenters are discussing the similarities between the Wells’ incident and one eerily similar incident that happened to a woman in Dallas, Texas.
Wells' sister-in-law, Cherice Joy Thomspon, said she feels like her family has been violated after sharing the experience.
"She said, 'I've got to push.'… He was driving with one hand, ripped her pants off with the other hand, and looked down, and he said he could see the baby's head. And he was like, 'Oh my God, here's the baby's head,” Thompson said. "He grabbed a blanket, caught the baby, and then put the baby on Mercedes' chest, and the umbilical cord, everything was still attached, and they kept on driving."
Franciscan Health of Crown Point decided to launch an internal investigation as of Monday evening following the online attention after the incident.
The hospital’s President and CEO Raymond Grady called the video “deeply troubling” alongside the comments it has generated and the concern it has raised.
According to posts further shared by the Wells family, they were “welcomed with open arms” at Munster Community Hospital, where Mercedes and baby are making a full recovery after this incident.
Grady added, “Franciscan Health remains committed to meeting and exceeding all regulations and best practices for care. The video is just one part of the information we are reviewing as part of a thorough investigation into this alleged incident.”
Appropriate action will take place based on the findings of its review, according to the Franciscan press release.
