Rookie RCMP officer helps deliver baby in B.C. hospital parking lot
A rookie cop attended a different type of emergency Monday after running toward the sound of screaming in a parking lot.
Const. Sise Odaa, with the Chilliwack, B.C., RCMP, was at the Chilliwack General Hospital for an unrelated report when she heard the yelling.
Odaa, who just joined the detachment six months ago, rushed outside to help, the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment said in a news release Thursday.
What she found was Chilliwack woman Chayne Den Ouden in labour.
“When we got to the parking lot my mom asked if I needed a wheelchair but I said, 'No I’m good,'” Den Ouden told CTV News.
“But then I walked maybe 20 feet and had another contraction was hunched over."
As Den Ouden’s mom went to get the wheelchair, chaos ensued.
“I realized, 'Oh no, the baby's coming,'” she said.
“So I reached down and started grabbing her. Meanwhile a man was walking by and said, 'Are you OK?' I said, 'No I'm having a baby!'"
Odaa heard the commotion, and jumped into action.
"She heard the yelling and thought, 'OK there's something going on so I better go assist,'” Den Ouden said.
Little Sahara Acacia Den Ouden did not wait for her mom to get inside the hospital.
"When she got there, there was my mom catching Sahara, and she was there to support us and help us with what we needed, it was pretty special."
Den Ouden and Sahara were quickly taken into the hospital. She says they’re now home, healthy and happy.
Odaa called it an "amazing experience," and said in a statement that she joined the RCMP to help people.
"(I'm) so happy that I was able to help in this very special way."
Sahara Acacia Den Ouden is shown in a photo provided by her family to CTV News.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Ontario urges mpox testing amid spike in cases
Ontario health officials are urging public health units to test for mpox, the viral disease formerly known as monkeypox, amid a spike of confirmed cases in the province.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Don't expect any deals:' Expert says stores may not offer steep discounts on post-Easter chocolate
Those looking to snap up cheap treats at their local grocery store next week following the Easter long weekend could be in for a bit of a surprise as the rising cost of cocoa continues to drive up the price of chocolate, one expert says.