And while there's no doubt about Sanker's bonafides as a community
hero, there may be some doubt cast on the actions of the police
officers, who on Saturday were said to have delivered a woman's baby.
The couple in question visited our Channel 7 studios this morning,
their precious bundle in tow, to tell us what really happened in the
wee hours of Saturday morning. Cherisse Halsall has the story.
Prada Haylock is 5 days and while she may look like your typical new-born
her birth was anything but typical. That's because she was born on a
sidewalk.
Prada's birth was announced on Saturday when news of a baby delivered by
GSU started to make the social media rounds.
But it got even more buzz on Monday when the commissioner congratulated a W
and a GSU Corporal - who he mis-identified - on a job well done.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I also want to take the opportunity to commend corporal Robert Sutherland
and WPC Abdullah, Robert Sutherland is from the gang suppression unit WPC
Abdullah is from Precinct 2 area and these two brave officers were on duty
at Mahogany Street police station. So, I said to someone you know that you
have midwives and so I said, in this case, Robert Sutherland is a
mid-husband."
And while we got the re-cap from the correct officers on Tuesday; this
morning we got to hear from the baby's father, Elvis Haylock who told us
exactly how the post curfew emergency unfolded.
Elvis Haylock - Prada's Dad
"I am sleeping and she wakes me but at the time she wakes me her water bag
has already broken so she's telling me, babes, it's time for us to go
knowing the distance and knowing at the back of my mind the curfew I say
the best place we should go is the police station because I don't want them
to meet us out there and still harass us you know so we went there. Upon
before we reach there right front of the thrifty side of the thrifty
Salvation Army behind, to be specific that is Oleander street right there
the baby born the mark still there where the baby born."
Haylock tells us that Prada's birth - like that of her siblings - happened
on the move. While she was born on the sidewalk, one older sibling was
born, in flight, on a plane from San Pedro, and, the other, on the steps of
their house.
So, it's not this father's bumpy birth, he's grateful:
Elvis Haylock
"You know and yes, I want to give thanks to the corporal and the W who were
there because really they were the only two who were trying to help you
know, they helped by calling the ambulance and called for another truck and
then afterward the W when the paramedics arrived on the scene, the W was
asked to hold the baby at the mother's waist so that they could cut the
umbilical cord. Afterwards later on like say maybe 10 to 15 minutes after
the ambulance arrived and the next police truck arrived and I see that
they're trying to get the afterbirth out of she because she was
experiencing the pain, that's all what happened."
Ultimately Mother and Baby came through okay and despite the hype, the
family says the officers did what they're there to do protect and serve.
Elvis Haylock
"Come on mein let's be fair mein you guys are the law you should make
things go good so c'mon mein it's nothing to say that hey the young lady
got there when the baby done born, you know."
And the only upside to the sidewalk delivery? Less exposure in a
COVID-heavy hospital:
Elvis Haylock
"Well I'm very very very happy knowing the fact that she was born outside
and the virus is going around she only spent around 2 days in the hospital
to check no medical attention needed or nothing and I am so very very
proud."
Again Baby Prada Camilla Haylock is the couple's third child.
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Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
Elvis Haylock - Prada's Dad