New Jersey's newest little resident now has the unique claim of being born on a Garden State highway.
The baby girl's mother was in labor as her friend drove her to the hospital on I-78 in Summit Wednesday morning, state police say. It became clear that the baby was not going to wait.
The driver pulled over onto the shoulder of the highway on the eastbound side and called 911, according to state police. The driver stayed on the phone with a Summit police dispatcher while they waited for help.
By the time state trooper Christopher Gesualdo arrived, the mother was in the backseat, ready to deliver. Dashcam video posted to Facebook by state police captured the trooper's reassurances to the mother as he helped her.
"OK, here we go," Gesualdo is heard saying. "Beautiful baby girl. Calm down, ma'am, calm down, don't worry."
Within minutes, the trooper was holding a baby girl in his arms.
"All right, she's beautiful," he says. "Yeah, she's crying."
Summit police officer Keith Kwiatek helped render aid before paramedics arrived, state police say.
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Mom and baby were transported by ambulance to St. Barnabas Medical Center, where they were reportedly doing well.
