MEDINA, Ohio — An Ohio police officer thought she was responding to a typical police call, but instead, she found herself delivering a healthy baby girl in the foyer of a Medina home.
Officer Lauren Brooks was honored by the Cleveland Clinic, Medina Hospital, and the Medina Life Support Team in front of a packed Nov. 14 Medina City Council meeting, for her quick and focused response to the Oct. 21 delivery of baby Estella.
“It was so unexpected, I was not anticipating that at all, I thought it was just going to be another medic call that we go to," said Brooks. “I just wanted to make sure that the baby was healthy and the mom was healthy. It was a really incredible experience, definitely once in a lifetime.”
Baby Estella's parents Diana and Tima Bokhomko had just made their way to the United States, escaping war-torn Ukraine in September, and were staying at the home of family relative Liliya Tenenika when baby Estella decided she wanted to make an early entrance into the world.
“We’re so thankful for Officer Brooks, she was such a blessing to us," Tenenika said. “We were trying to get her to the hospital, she got to the car and she said this is not going to happen I need to go back, I’m having a baby.”
“I had to dial 911, as soon as she crossed the steps, officer Brooks showed up, Tenenika added. “Thank God, this little beautiful Estella showed up in this world and we’re so thankful.”
Medina Police Chief Ed Kinney credits the wide variety of training his officers receive as a crucial part of the amazing response made by officer Brooks.
“It was her professionalism, her calmness that she exhibited throughout this stressful situation," Kinney said. “There was a language barrier that further complicated the situation, and within two minutes she was having to deliver a baby.”
“We have a very collaborative relationship with our EMS service and our fire department, all of our officers are first responders so they train quite often," Kinney added. I can tell you in 25 years of being a police officer here in the City of Medina we’ve never delivered a baby before."
“It’s awesome that she was able to deliver a baby in this person's house. That’s one of the great things about policing.”
