After highway birth, couple hires attorney to push for changes at Indiana hospital

Family demands accountability from Indiana hospital after highway birth

A Chicago couple says a northwest Indiana hospital sent them away while the mother was in active labor — forcing them to deliver their newborn along the side of a highway.

INDIANA - A Chicago couple says a northwest Indiana hospital sent them away while the mother was in active labor — forcing them to deliver their newborn along the side of a highway.

Mercedes and Leon Wells said their experience at Franciscan Health Crown Point was traumatic, discriminatory and dangerous. 

They have hired an attorney, but said they are not seeking money. Instead, they want the hospital to make serious changes.

Family speaks out after pregnant woman forced to leave Indiana hospital | ChicagoLIVE

The Wells family joined ChicagoLIVE on Tuesday to share their story after a pregnant Mercedes Wells was discharged from Franciscan Health Crown Point while in labor. With attorney Cannon Lambert by their side, they describe the trauma, call for accountability, and demand change to protect other women from similar treatment.

What we know:

Cellphone video shows Mercedes Wells being wheeled out of the hospital and discharged, even as she said she was experiencing contractions one minute apart. The couple said staff ignored their pleas for help and sent them home without a doctor ever examining her.

About eight minutes later, Mercedes said she felt the baby coming. Their daughter, Alena, was born on the side of the highway, delivered by her father.

Franciscan Health declined an interview but said it has launched an internal investigation. In a statement, the hospital called the video "deeply troubling" and said it does not reflect its values.

The Wells family believes race played a role in how they were treated.

Medical experts say federal law requires hospitals to screen and stabilize patients in labor before discharging them.

"The Emergency Medical Treatment Labor Act, and this is a federal law in 1986, which all hospitals must comply and that's two aspects of the EMTLA and that's we provide a screening and stabilization. And so, that goes into question when you look at this video as it applies to stabilization. But again, this is not common practice," said Dr. Christopher Colbert, an emergency medicine physician.

What's next:

The hospital said its investigation is ongoing.

FOX 32 Chicago has obtained new video of baby Alena, who, despite the circumstances, is doing well at two days old.

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