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West Valley City police officer delivers baby in the middle of traffic, mom says she’s ‘thankful’

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WEST VALLEY CITY — Michelle Garcia was ready for baby number five. On Tuesday, she started heading to the hospital, but then things started progressing quickly.

“I felt a really strong pressure and that’s when my water broke right by the 7-11, and I said, no, take me to the closest hospital which was this one[Jordan Valley Medical Center West Valley Campus],” she said. “Which is just right around the corner from my house and I felt like I wanted to push and that’s when I told him to stop because I felt her head was already out.”

That’s when her husband flagged down West Valley City Police Officer Jeremy Dean. He quickly put on gloves and helped deliver a healthy baby girl.

“I have been there and watched doctors and nurses do it but kudos to them because that was, that was scary,” Officer Dean said.

“It was a surprise, I wasn’t expecting her to be born in the backseat of the car, especially not that way,” Garcia said.

Garcia and baby Antonella were transported to Jordan Valley Medical Center West Valley Campus.

The now mom of five, said she can’t thank Officer Dean enough.

“Like I told him yesterday, I am very grateful for him, for his attention, that he didn’t get stressed, that he was calm and that he made sure that both of us were okay,” she said. “I am really thankful, and I send him my blessings.”

Baby Antonella is a healthy, calm and sweet little girl who, Garcia said, will have quite the story to tell about how she was born one day.