Two Los Angeles police officers helped deliver a healthy baby girl Monday at an apartment building in downtown L.A., according to police.
The baby's birth took place at an apartment building at 451 S. Main St. Christmas afternoon, police said.
The officers were responding to a report of a woman screaming in that building, police said. When they arrived she was walking the hallway of the 5th floor of the building.
LAPD Officers Clinton Popham and his partner Officer Francisco Muro were the first to see the pregnant woman.
Popham who has nearly 20 years on the force told reporters this afternoon that he and Muro and four other officers went to the fifth floor.
"The woman was screaming and had no pants on when we got there," Popham said. "It was clear that her water had broken there was a trail from the room to the hall where she was standing."
Popham said the officers had her lay down on the floor. At that point, he said, "we put out a call for a RA (paramedics)."
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One of the officers began counting her contractions and told Popham that it looked like the woman was about to give birth. At this point Popham told reporters that the woman got back up momentarily but the officers quickly convinced her to lay back down on the floor.
"At that point the baby started to crown. My partner grabbed one leg and one of the other officers grabbed the other leg. I told her to push and push hard," Popham said. "She began to push and the baby came out facing down. I told her to keep pushing and the baby came right out.
"One of the neighbors brought a blanket in and we wrapped up the baby. Then paramedics stabilized the mother. She had lost a lot of blood and we got a blanket over the mother. I transferred the baby to the mother so she could have some skin to skin contact and the baby could stay warm."
Popham said they took the mother and child down in an elevator and paramedics took them both to the hospital. Both the mother and the baby girl were doing fine, he said.
As to his apparent calmness during the delivery, Popham said, "I have four kids of my own. I've been there for three of them (deliveries) but I missed one because I was in business school."
LAPD Central Area Capt. Marc Reina tweeted, "A Christmas baby! We are proud of our LAPD Central Area officers who helped deliver a baby this afternoon."
