A family in Crown Point, Indiana, is demanding answers after a pregnant woman gave birth in a car just minutes after hospital staff discharged her, despite her being in visible and severe pain. The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, has led to an internal investigation at the hospital.
Mercedes Wells was visiting Indiana with her family when she went into labour earlier than expected. According to her relatives, Wells was clearly in active labour when she arrived at Franciscan Health Crown Point. But staff reportedly told her she was only three centimetres dilated and instructed her to return later.
Video posted by her family shows Wells being wheeled out of the hospital in a wheelchair, grimacing in pain. Eight minutes after being discharged, Wells delivered her baby in the family car.
Her sister-in-law, Cherice Joy Thompson, described the frantic moments on the road. “She said, ‘I’ve got to push.’ He was driving with one hand, ripped her pants off with the other, and saw the baby’s head coming,” she said. “He grabbed a blanket, caught the baby, put the baby on her chest — the umbilical cord was still attached — and they kept driving.”
The family stayed on the phone with 911, which alerted Community Hospital in Munster. Staff there raced outside to meet the family as they arrived, with about 15 doctors and nurses ready to help. Wells and her newborn were admitted immediately and are now recovering.
Thompson said Wells is traumatized and emotional, feeling “violated, unheard, and dismissed.” She called her brother — the baby’s father — a hero for staying calm under pressure and safely delivering the child.
The family wants accountability from Franciscan Health for turning Wells away. In response, Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and confirmed an internal investigation is underway.
“The video and the comments it has generated are deeply troubling,” Grady said in a statement. While bound by patient privacy laws, he said the incident shared online “does not accurately represent” the hospital’s values, emphasizing their commitment to safe and compassionate care.
The hospital says it will take “appropriate action” once its review is complete.