January 22, 1981

Dad makes special delivery

       A Martinsville man delivered his own little girl today – in the back of a van along busy State Road 37 near the Johnson – Marion County line.  The new father said he was trying to get his wife to an Indianapolis hospital for the delivery after he was turned away from the Martinsville hospital.  Traffic on the four- lane highway was reduced to one lane northbound side as Perry Township arrived on the scene to aid with the birth.  The father, Danny Harris, had pulled over to the median on the highway when it became obvious his new daughter was not going to wait for a hospital arrival. “The only reason I pulled over here,” said Harris, “was I didn’t have the time to get over there,” indicating the shoulder of the road. The ambulance parked in the passing lane alongside the van.  The mother, Karen Harris, 34, went into labor about 7 a.m. today, according to her husband. He said he called the Morgan County Memorial Hospital and was told not to bring his wife there because he has no means of support. Harris is unemployed and has no health insurance, he said. He had worked as a cable splicer for a private company in southern Indiana.  A hospital spokesman termed Harris’ story “very doubtful” and said that the hospital has no knowledge of a call earlier today from the couple. After calling the hospital, Harris loaded his wife and two other children into the van and began the forty-mile trek to Indianapolis’ Community Hospital.  The baby was born in the back of the gray and white van amid the racks of cable splicing tools and equipment. Harris delivered the infant before Perry Township paramedics arrived at the scene. He said that he had “a little training” in delivering babies, but did not elaborate. The child’s name is Nancy Marie Harris, the father said. “We had that figured out before this,” he said.  He said the delivery went “smoothly.”  The child and mother were taken to St. Francis Center, Beech Grove, where hospital spokesman said that,“ both are fine.” Mrs. Harris is scheduled to be admitted to the hospital, the spokesman said. The Harris family moved to Martinsville about a year ago from the Cookeville, Tenn., area, according to Harris. Authorities were notified of the event when White River Twp. Volunteer fireman identified as Tom Morford stopped on his way to work to help the couple. Morford notified the Greenwood police dispatcher who in return called the Perry Township paramedics. Morford is a driver for Commercial Motor Freight Inc. of Indiana.  The Rev. Bill Martin, Chaplin and public relations man at the Morgan County Hospital, said hospital officials have no knowledge of a call earlier today from Harris. He also said that inability to pay for services is not an excuse used by the hospital to deny possible admission to potential patients. “We lose lots and lots of money, especially in the obstetrics department, but we don’t refuse service,” Martin said. Morgan County Memorial Hospital is a county hospital he added.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

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