The proud parents of a baby girl delivered on a garage forecourt by police and the suspects they were questioning look set to follow a bobby’s advice by calling her ‘Mercedes’.
New mother Linda Frimpong, 28, was stuck in traffic in a taxi on her way to Homerton Hospital yesterday when she realised her baby was in no mood to hang around.
But Tower Hamlets transport police officer PC Robert Morgan took time out from questioning suspects with two colleagues to help deliver the baby safely at the Mercedes Benz garage, in Rick Roberts Way, Stratford.
“We deal with all sorts of incidents, however I wasn’t expecting this today,” he said. “The mother was not keen on my suggestion of calling the baby girl Mercedes!”
In an apparent U-turn, however, the baby girl’s family said the name was now their “first choice”, after telling how events unfolded.
Dad Christoper Akinyemi, a 31-year-old Afrobeat singer, said: “Police were talking with the suspects, and when I jumped out of the cab to meet them they thought I was one of the suspects as well!
“They were about to start questioning me, and I said ‘my missus is in labour – you have to help us!’”
When the officers and suspects realised the urgency of the situation they rushed to Linda’s side, as her aunt, 43-year-old Flora Thomas, helped deliver the baby with police in front of the crowd of 10 people gathered round.
“The three suspects were really helpful,” said Linda. “They gave us towels and blankets – I don’t know where they got it…
“They were telling me to breathe in and breathe out, but I was just so conscious of not exposing myself!”
Within minutes the baby girl was delivered safely, weighing six pounds and four ounces.
“It was like watching a movie with a happy ending,” said Flora, an NHS administrator.
“When the baby came out I didn’t know what to do, but all of a sudden those three suspects came with towels, and I wrapped up the baby while we waited for the ambulance to arrive.”
She was taken to Homerton Hospital, where tests showed the tot was fit and healthy.
The family returned to their home in Meath Road, Stratford, this morning.
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