CBS2 Exclusive: Pair Of Hero Cops Help Deliver Baby Girl In East Tremont
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's a heartwarming story you won't hear anywhere else about a woman going into labor on this year's Labor Day.
After 9 months, she delivered a baby thanks in part to two quick-thinking members of the NYPD.
CBS2's Ali Bauman spoke exclusively with the new mom and the pair of hero officers.
Even as Maria Sumba holds her healthy and vocal newborn baby girl, you might say her delivery came with its fair share of labor pains.
Sumba woke up around 3 a.m. Monday, walked to her bathroom in the East Tremont section of the Bronx, and suddenly realized she was going into labor -- now.
"It felt like something was coming out of her really large," Sumba said through a translator.
Her sister immediately called 911. NYPD officers Doris Vega and Timothy Canniff from the 48th Precinct came right in the nick of time.
"She was standing and she was already in the midst of birth," Officer Vega said.
"Instinct kicks in and you do what we're trained and what you have to do," Officer Canniff added.
Despite their extensive training, little could have prepared them for what Officer Vega did next.
"Immediately I swooped in and grabbed the baby and worked on instinct," she said.
The new mom says if it wasn't for Officer Vega's sliding catch, her child would have fallen head first on the bathroom floor.
"Once they grabbed the baby they told her the baby was gonna be fine, she didn't have to worry about it and that made her feel comfortable," Sumba said through a translator.
Officer Vega says the first thing she thought when she looked down was "beautiful."
Vega is just the person you'd want responding in this situation. She's a 17 year veteran of the department with three children of her own.
Not to mention she's done this before.
"The first time was about ten years ago and it was on Halloween, so I have a thing I guess with holidays," Vega said.
Vega cut the umbilical cord and an ambulance took mother and daughter to Saint Barnabas Hospital while the officers carried on with the nine hours remaining in their shift.
As soon as they were able, they were right back at Sumba's side.
"She's really happy because they actually took out the time to come see her daughter and speak to her," Sumba said through a translator.
Vega says after the dramatic delivery she went on to handle other jobs as she normally would, but "just wanted to check on her."
The little girl doesn't have a name just yet, but her mother told Officers Vega and Canniff she would text them as soon as she decides.
Naming her after Officer Vega is not out of the question, according to Subma.
The nameless newborn entered the world right on time, weighing five pounds and measuring 19 inches long.
