COLUMBUS, N.M. – It is unusual but not unheard of to have a mother deliver a baby at a border port of entry. However rarely does that happen twice and almost three times in a matter of hours but that’s exactly what happened at the Columbus port early Thursday morning.
“Service to the community is a CBP core value although it is not usually associated with assisting in the birth of child, or in this case multiple children,” said Columbus Port Director Tony Hall. “I commend the officers involved for their quick response to a series of unexpected medical emergencies that needed immediate attention.”
At 1:25 a.m. a Mexican ambulance arrived transporting a woman who was in labor. CBP officers immediately contacted emergency medical services but the baby girl would not wait. CBP officers noticed that birth was imminent and provided an obstetrical kit to the Mexican medical technicians to administer an emergency delivery. The baby was born at 1:33 a.m. EMS arrived a short time later and transported the family to Mimbres Memorial Hospital in Deming.
At 1:57 a.m. another pregnant female arrived and requested help because she 41 weeks pregnant and in labor. EMS arrived before the baby boy was born and transported the female from the port to Mimbres Memorial Hospital.
At 4:39 a.m. CBP officers encountered another female in labor arrive from Mexico. As a CBP officer was requesting assistance the woman dropped to the sidewalk and went into delivery. Several CBP officers quickly arrived with an obstetrical kit and helped deliver the baby girl. Mother and newborn were brought inside and monitored by CBP personnel until EMS arrived at 5:08 a.m. The mother and child were then transported by EMS to Mimbres Memorial Hospital.