Mercedes Wells, an African American woman from Chicago, Illinois, says she gave birth on a highway after an Indiana hospital sent her home, leaving her and her husband to deliver the baby on their own. They believe the incident reflects unfair treatment.
Mercedes and her husband, Leon, said they notified Franciscan Health Crown Point before arriving early Saturday morning to report that she was already in labor. When they reached the hospital, Mercedes said staff ignored her condition despite her repeated complaints that the pain was getting worse. She was later discharged.
According to Fox 32 Chicago, Leon drove toward Community Hospital in Munster, hoping they could reach help in time. Minutes into the drive, Mercedes said she suddenly felt the baby coming. She told Leon she had to push, forcing them to stop on the side of the highway.
Their daughter, Alena, was born within eight minutes of leaving the hospital. Leon delivered the baby while talking to 911. Mercedes said she begged him to help her remove her pants so she could push, and the baby’s head appeared shortly after.
Franciscan Health Crown Point issued statements saying an internal investigation is underway. The hospital said patient safety remains a priority and noted that privacy laws limit what they can disclose. Leadership also said the online videos related to the incident do not represent the hospital’s values and that the full situation is still being reviewed.
Alena, who weighed six pounds, was born at 6:28 a.m. Sunday. After the delivery, the family made it to Community Hospital and received the care they needed.
The Wells family believes they were treated differently because they are Black. They have hired attorney Cannon Lambert and are calling for accountability to prevent other families from going through a similar experience.
SOURCE: blacknews.com