Atlanta Area Police Officer Helps Deliver Baby on Side of Highway

A Sandy Springs police officer helped deliver a baby while on patrol after noticing a vehicle stopped on the side of the highway.

On Monday Oct. 4 around 7:15 a.m., Officer Patrick Burt with the Sandy Springs Police Department’s traffic unit was on patrol when he decided to check on a car stopped on the side of I-285 East. Officer Burt found a woman in active labor and immediately sprung into action.

“There is no such thing as ‘routine’ in our line of work and every encounter might come with surprises such as this one,” Sandy Springs police posted on Facebook. 

Burt helped deliver the baby and followed up with the mother and child at the hospital to find they “both were doing very well.”

“It’s not a normal part of the job,” Burt told 11Alive. “I was ready to do what I’m going to do, what I have to do for my community or anybody that needs help. I’m there for them. So just to me, it was just another day, another part of the job.”

“I had two kids on my own, so I’m not a stranger to the birthing process. I’ve never done it myself as my firstborn but I noticed the baby was a little purple, which is kind of normal,” said Burt. 

“It’s kind of uplifting to show the police in a better side of life right now,” Burt added. “I’m glad I was able to be a part of that.”

Image source: Atlanta Journal Constitution