Cops+pregnant woman+guns=are you kidding me?

1

1BadF350

New member
Confused Cops Swarm Woman After Birth

Thu Mar 31, 6:39 AM ET



KETTERING, Ohio - A woman rushing to a hospital to give birth hit a few stops along the way — first at a gas station where she delivered the baby herself, then when confused police ordered her out of the car at gunpoint.



Debbie Coleman, whose 3- and 4-year-old daughters were asleep in the back seat, pulled over at a gas station just after midnight Tuesday.


"I asked if she needed help, and she just leaned back in the seat, hollered a little, and I looked down and there was the baby's head," said station co-owner Lloyd Goff, who was alerted to the emergency at pump No. 7 by a customer.


Goff said Coleman "threw her leg over the steering wheel, groaned once, and the rest of the baby came out.


"She caught that baby, put it to her chest, gave me a look, like, 'I gotta go,' closed the door, put the van in gear and away she went."


A customer at the gas station in suburban Dayton tried to give police a heads-up about Coleman's situation, but a mix-up involving the license plate number had them thinking the van was stolen.


As officers went looking for her, Coleman headed for the hospital, naked below the waist and with the baby boy in her arm. His umbilical cord was still attached.


"I kept pulling over, making sure (the baby) was all right, breathing," she said.


Meanwhile, police had straightened out the license plate issue. But another caller mistakenly reported someone trying to throw a baby from a van.


Coleman said she noticed several cruisers following her before one cut her off. With guns drawn, officers ordered her out of the van with her hands up.


"I opened the door and said, 'I just had a baby' and just let them see everything," she said.


Officers sent Coleman on and let the hospital know she was coming.


Coleman was discharged Wednesday. Her 6-pound, 8-ounce son, Richard Lee Coleman Jr., remained in intensive care.
 
Cops not

The ones confused, it was all the erronous reports and the dispatcher that fuzzed every thing up. It's a wonder they didn't shoot though, considering all the confusion and her apparent appearance from the birth. Thank goodness it came out OK for the woman and child. Shows what can happen to any one, anytime,anywhere.
 
Things have changed. WHAT kind of IDIOT LEO lets a woman who just delivered a child just drive herself to the hospital!!?? Bloodloss, shock, the trauma and simple courtesy should have been considered. Every LEO, dispatcher and supervisor of them should be given two pay period suspensions without pay and a write-up. Stupid is as stupid does. Here is your box of chocolates.
 
Agreed Sir William - I'm not surprised they didn't shoot at all since there was no threat, but sheese - letting her drive off like that! Plenty of blood loss during a birth last I knew! An ambulance would have been obvious! :rolleyes:
 
I heard about this story on the radio yesterday.

It was a comedy of errors from the mother giving birth while pumping gas to the officer mistyping the license plate number into his computer to the Benny Hill-esque chase scene.

Thank God it all turned out well.

Can't wait to see it on "Blue Collar Comedy"... :D
 
I know that sometimes I try to be way too simple BUT the following works for me . HER and new baby in police car #1 going to the hospital REAL fast . 2 other children in second car going to the hospital and leave the van until later . That would be HELPING .
 
What legal basis would they have for refusing to let her drive?

1) Valid DL, check

2) Not impaired by drugs/alcohol, check

3) Car insured, check

Okay, guess there's no law preventing her from driving, right? :confused:
 
BadOne
You are correct. If she refused medical assistance, away she goes.Nut case or not for driving herself in the first place. But lets get back to the bad cops. oh yeah
 
I was gonna stay off this topic, but LEO's are getting worse, or is it just me. This playstation generation that we have evolved too has mad us air headed :p <--- see . I mean I'm part of it, only being 23 yrs old but geez, what the hell were those guys thinking. She could've really injured people if she would have gone into shock, not to mention the baby in one hand the wheel in the other....Holy $*@& :eek: (how did she keep putting it in park and drive. Alot of my buddies from H.S became LE and let me tell you 90% of them were not the sharpest tools in the shed, the other 10% were extremely text book savvy, but were missing some fries in the basket when it came to common sense. Stories like these really make me think. :mad:
 
No doubt the dispatch people went snafu. But the RO's in this mess might have had enough observational skills to figure out the situation.
And even if the woman was going to 'throw the baby out' exactly what were these public servants going to do...shoot around the kid? Talking people down is often much easier before the overt exhibition of potential lethal force. What kind of training has this lot had, in basic negotiations? Or did they get it all from grand theft auto?
And at least one of the patrol units should have followed her into the hospital, since the ability to call the EMT's seemed to be beyond their measure. Even if she had refused an ambulance, an escort could still have been an option.
And yes, the woman probably was in a mild state of shock. And so needed help...not a collection of hyped up idiots exhibiting clearly unwarrented and excessive force.
The entire lot should be fired...but they won't be...
Another group of idiots, doing their level best to undermine the crumbling credibility of the system.
 
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Thee Bad One, It should be obvious. You are a LEO? The endanerment of three children is what leaps out at me. Driving and holding a newborn with two other children in the van is just not safe. If the woman had become incapacitated and crashed the van, the survivors would OWN Kettering, Ohio. Liability is liability. I would equate it to releasing a DUI because they were almost home. BAD decision to release a impaired driver and allow state laws on child restraints to be ignored. This lady needed help and service, the child needed protection and medical treatment. The LEOs failed to provide reasonable and due aid, assistance and request emergency medical assistance. These LEOs are a civil litigators dream. Stupid and there is a act of omission on their part. A jury would hand that lady millions if she files a civil suit. There could even be a federal civil rights case if the woman is other than white.
 
With any news story writeup, I don't think that we're getting all that was said or done, or, the rest of the story.

If the lady didn't wish aid and even with other kids in the van, unless we're in a police state, you just can't take over the wishes of others who haven't broken any laws.

The lady felt, I guess, that she could drive to the hospital. I would have had a cruiser follow just in case, but overall, there was nothing that the police could have done to force her to comply (unless they really wished to use those new tasers).

You can't force someone to do something that is lawful, driving to the hospital while obeying the law. Too many people have thought that they could force people to do what they wanted and look at where we are today.

I'm sure (can't prove it) that the LEO's at the stop offered all the above that has been posted, ambulance, take to the hospital, etc.. In anyone's mind, should she have been forced to do something for "her own good"? Or the "it's for the children" aspect?

Women have been giving birth for many years, far more then any man, and I leave it up to them to decide what is best for them during this time. I've never had a child born of my body, and I can't think of any man having a baby born from his body (as in, it grew inside you and you gave birth to it).

To say that any force should have been used to make her comply, either due for her or for "the children" then I say, isn't that what has gotten us where we are today?

Wayne
 
Perhaps, but the moment the guns came out...in all probability any likely hood that any sane mother would entrust herself (and a new child) to that contingent also, ended. And this woman was already under some serious medical and emotional stress at the time.
And as for the legalities, there are times when morality (and for that matter) our basic obligations to others, supercede procedure or litigatory concerns.
In that regard the LEO's in this incident, seemingly failed on a very basic humanitarian level.
Concerning lack of information...yes, and what's in the news item, is likely to be all we'll obtain.
But given what can be justifiably assumed from the information available, this incident is a disgrace to the LEO's profession. And those involved, mayhaps should consider another trade. If for no other reason that, its now very likely that this community is now going to view its LE contingent as a collection of gun toting fools, with astounding poor judgment. The competant people in that department, certainly won't need comparision with a cabal of people who drew down on an infant. But they will now have to counteract that perception.
And USP, what you said about following in another patrol vehicle, would have been at least a reasonable accomodation to the needs of all involved. And much better thinking than shown by those involved in handling this incident.
 
I just reread the write up and have come to a conclusion:

I really don't like news writeups. Just like most of the articles that are posted on the board, the writeups really give no insightful information, just a "blurb" and this causes us all to "jump" to our own conclusions without knowing all of the story.

Just like they do with their "gun" articles.

Without knowing what transpired at the stop, what was said and done, I really can't put any blame on the LEO's. The dispatcher got bad information and all they can do is radio what was said to the LEO's in the field.

I just hope that this doesn't turn into an LEO bashing thread, seen why too many of them on other boards and they don't end up well.

Wayne
 
"1) Valid DL, check

2) Not impaired by drugs/alcohol, check

3) Car insured, check

Okay, guess there's no law preventing her from driving, right?"

How's about indecent exposure? ;)

How's about "Hey lady, slide over and I'll drive y'all to the hosptial?"

Like they say, common sense isn't really very common.

John
 
Permission

Stupid is as stupid does. Here is your box of chocolates
Click to expand...

Sir William,

That is about the most accurate statement I can imagine to describe the entire mess, and, at times, life in general.
I would like to know if you would consider allowing me to add that to my signature line. (with due accredation, of course).

As far as the woman and the LEOs, it goes like this:

Woman: I just watched my wife give birth two months ago. Any woman who can still drive after that is my hero.

LEOs: I can understand the confusion. However, upon seeing the situation, a Motorola and an ambulance would be appropriate. (At least a ride in the nifty patrol car ;) )

In all seriousness, I am happy that crisis was avoided, and all is well.
 
If Forrest doesn't care, you have my permission. I do think there should be a Bubba Gump Sign Company. They would make Bill Engvall signs.
 
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