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Couple Rushing To Hospital To Have Baby Get Traffic Ticket
Mom Gives Birth; Dad Gets Cited

POSTED: 6:26 pm EDT July 29, 2004

FAIRFAX, Va. -- A couple that went to a Virginia hospital to deliver a baby went home with a traffic ticket.

Kathleen Siragusa and her husband, Tom, were in the car on their way to the hospital when her water broke. That's when they hit a traffic jam.



"The first thought on my mind was what came out of my mouth. 'Turn on the lights, drive on the shoulder and go!'" Kathleen said.

A mile later, a police car appeared in front of them.

"I saw a police car and thought, 'A policeman when you need him, yeah!'" Kathleen said.

However, the couple soon found out their trouble was just beginning.

"I rolled down the window and said, 'We need to get to the hospital. Will you escort us?' He said he would call an ambulance and my wife said, 'Let's go!'" Tom said.

Kathleen said she couldn't wait any longer, so they took off with the officer behind them.


A short seven minutes after arriving at the hospital, Kathleen gave birth to a baby girl. Meanwhile, the officer found Tom and gave him a ticket.

The citation charged him with disregarding an officer's hand signal. That's standard policy according to Fairfax police.

"The policy is to bring paramedics to the location," said Sgt. Richard Perez of the Fairfax County Police Department.

"Is there any exception to the rule?" a reporter asked.

"There's no exception to the rule," Perez said.

Authorities said it would have taken less than five minutes to get an ambulance to the scene, and they suggested the Siragusas took an unacceptable risk.

"There's no exception that allows a motorist under stress to endanger the lives of themselves or others on the roadway," Perez said.

Now home with a healthy baby girl, Kathleen sees the officer's actions differently.

"Did he think he was helping? That flashing his lights and sirens and telling us to move over would help? I don't believe his mind was in the right place," Kathleen said.

It's an argument the new mother will soon be making in court.


Apparently this police officer has never had a pregnant wife!!!

The couple never shouldv'e been cited. When they're in a rush, they're in a rush.

The law is the law.

GalvestonDuck wrote:The law is the law.

This woman was about to give birth---give me a break.
She delivered within 7 min of reaching the hospital. That cop should have escorted them to delivery.
Apparently you have never been in labor.

GalvestonDuck wrote:The law is the law.

Yes but a truly good cop knows how to excercise a certain level of discretion. I find that many people are becoming way too legalistic nowadays. Police should do their jobs but they shouldn't be automatons: robocops.

The law was made for man and not vice versa. Sounds familiar?

The cop did what he had to do and the parents did what they had to do. If the cop departed from policy and an accident happened, it would have been his arse. I'll bet he understood because it almost sounds like he charged them with the minimum he could. If the parents waited around for an ambulance, it might not have arrived in time. I'm glad they made it in time. If it was me, I'd thank the cop and pay the ticket and be glad that everything turned out ok.

bfez1 wrote:

GalvestonDuck wrote:The law is the law.

This woman was about to give birth---give me a break.
She delivered within 7 min of reaching the hospital. That cop should have escorted them to delivery.
Apparently you have never been in labor.

Seven minutes is pretty darn fast for labor. Whether I've experienced it or not, I know that it's usually in terms of hours, not minutes.

I never said he couldn't have escorted them. It would have been helpful.

My reply was to (and I should have quoted) TexasStooge's comment about "when they're in a rush, they're in a rush." Being in a rush is not excuse to speed and put others' lives in jeopardy. However, they're situation was extreme. Then again, plenty of babies are born outside the walls of a hospital. If she'd given birth in the traffic jam, it might have still been okay, as long as both got to the hospital later for post-partum care.

They should not have been ticketed. The woman was about to give birth. And I'm glad they have decided to fight the ticket. I would, too.

They shouldn't have been ticketed.

My mom was in labor 14 and 16 hours with me and my sister respectively, but I know some deliver very quick(like in this case )

Question:

If they hit a traffic jam would it have been 5 min. for the Amulance to get there? We are taught in EMS to use every possible thing at our disposal and common sense is at the the top of the list. Not to question the officer but there is a time to cover your butt and there is a time to take action. There are things that can happen during a delivery that Paramedics or EMT's can not deal with and that require surgery. All factors need to be considered, the ladies age, term of pregnancy, complications during pregnancy, first or second pregnancy.

bfez1 wrote:Kathleen Siragusa and her husband, Tom, were in the car on their way to the hospital when her water broke. That's when they hit a traffic jam.

If this is true, there was no immediate danger to the mom or the baby. Water breaking isn't the same as being in labor; the baby wasn't being born.

When the water breaks, the doctor will give the mother 24 hours for labor to start naturally on it's own before they'll start the labor process with drugs (or perform a C-section).

3. Pitocin Drip
Pitocin is a synthetic hormone just like the hormone oxytocin that a woman´s body produces. The hormone helps the uterus to contract. Pitocin is given to women who need help with bringing on labor. Pitocin is given in an IV and the laboring mom is carefully monitored. Pitocin causes the uterus to have strong contractions in hopes of bringing on true labor and eventually birth.

http://childbirth.lifetips.com/Cat.asp__Q__id__E__56405

The reason is that without the embroyonic fluids, infection can set in and put the baby and mom both in danger of complications.

Of course she could have been in labor already before her water broke, but the article doesn't say that, only that her water broke.

I doubt the cop knew the difference though, he should have cut them a break. An ambulance ride would be an added expense we don't know if they could afford or have insurance to cover.

p.s. I drove myself to the hospital about four hours after my water broke when my son was being born--no signs of labor.

Kiko wrote:
If this is true, there was no immediate danger to the mom or the baby. Water breaking isn't the same as being in labor; the baby wasn't being born.

The baby was born 7 minutes after the mother arrived at the hospital.

Then she must have been in labor and the cop should have got them there however he deemed best.

I still don't think he needed to ticket them though.