ROCKDALE COUNTY, Ga. — A baby born premature was saved thanks to the efforts of three women who work at Rockdale County Jail along with medical personnel in February.
While Deputy Ali made her rounds, checking in on inmates, she noticed one woman had been sitting on the toilet for quite some time. Then she recalled that the inmate was pregnant.
"We have to do 30-minute checks," Ali said, adding that "my job is to make sure that they are OK, they're breathing."
Detention Deputy Haggard first entered the cell along with Ali and Deputy Davis; the three saw the premature newborn lying on the inmate's lap.
"We weren't ready for her to have the baby," Haggard said.
"The baby," Ali said, "didn't even fit from your forearm to your hand."
The three knew the woman wasn't due to have her baby that day, which was Feb. 22, but they reacted fast. The deputies called for assistance from the NaphCare medical staff. The nurses performed CPR while deputies assisted and ensured the inmate was OK, authorities said.
"The baby was so small. She had her legs," Ali said, pointing at Haggard, "and I had the baby's head, just taking turns."
Haggard said her previous experience working with 911 for three years helped her out, along with the yearly training Rockdale County puts their deputies through.
Rockdale County Fire and Rescue arrived and were able to get the mother and infant to the Rockdale Piedmont Hospital. The infant is healthy, Ali said, but is still in the hospital, given their size. And the mother is out of the hospital and has returned to jail.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that the nurses performed CPR.
