A woman gave birth on the side of the road after being discharged from an Indiana hospital while she was in active labor, according to her family.
Relatives say Mercedes Wells was sent home from Franciscan Health Crown Point Hospital on Sunday, Nov. 16, after staff allegedly told her to wait for her labor to progress, ABC affiliate WLS reported.
Mercedes and her husband, Leon, said they had called the hospital before arriving on Saturday, Nov. 15, but claimed their concerns were brushed aside before she was discharged the next day, according to Fox affiliate WFLD.
Just eight minutes after leaving the hospital, Mercedes delivered her baby on the side of the road while the couple was driving to another facility.
Videos of Mercedes being discharged while in labor — and later after she gave birth — have circulated widely on social media.
Her baby girl, Alena Ariel Wells, weighed 6 lbs. and measured 18.5 inches long at birth, according to a Facebook post shared by her uncle, Lance D. Thompson Jr.
Lance is among several family members publicly criticizing Franciscan Health Crown Point Hospital, alleging that Mercedes was “wrongfully discharged” shortly before she went into full labor.
In a Facebook post shared by Mercedes’ sister-in-law, Cherise Thompson, Mercedes said she was instructed to go home because a nurse did not believe she was in active labor — even though, at one point, she said her contractions were only a minute apart.
“I begged to STAY while still upstairs in Labor and delivery Triage,” Mercedes recalled, adding that she felt she was not treated with compassion by the staff. “I was treated SO poorly and inhumane. I still cant believe it.”
Mercedes later arrived at Munster Community Hospital, where she received care after the roadside birth, WLS reported.
The Wells family has since hired an attorney and alleges they were treated unfairly because they are Black, according to WFLD.
“I want there to be some sort of change so that other families don’t have to experience this,” Cherise told WLS.
Lance added, “If it implements change, implements strength, implements courage for other women that’s going through this, then that’s what I’m looking for, personally.”
In a statement, Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady said the hospital is reviewing what happened, calling the video and online reactions “deeply troubling.”
“We are aware of the video and the concerns expressed on social media regarding the discharge of a pregnant patient from Franciscan Health Crown Point,” Grady said. “We are grateful to learn from online and media reports that both mother and child are reportedly doing well.”
Grady continued, “While patient privacy laws make it difficult for us to comment more deeply, it is important to note that the videos and the narrative surrounding them do not accurately represent Franciscan Health Crown Point’s Catholic healthcare ministry’s values, which include respect for life, compassionate concern and Christian stewardship. Our goal is to make everyone who walks through our doors feel the love of Christ through our actions.”
He added that the hospital recognizes that disparities in health outcomes exist and said, “Franciscan Health Crown Point strives to be part of the solution, not the problem. We remain committed to meeting and exceeding all regulations and best practices for care, and we will take appropriate action based on the findings of our review.”
