Sergeant Jon-Erik Negron may have chosen the police academy, but he maybe should have gone to medical school instead.
The police officer, turned accidental midwife, has delivered five babies in the past five years, earning him the nickname, “the baby whisperer,” something he says is just “one of those crazy coincidences.”
Crazy, indeed.
The “Baby Whisperer” Strikes Again
When Rebecca Reyes went into labor three weeks early at her home in Long Island, New York, Negron, 37, was one of four Suffolk County Police Department officers who responded to her 911 call.
By the time the officers arrived, it was too late to take Reyes to the hospital. Her baby was coming, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him. Fortunately, Negron knew just what to do.
“I took the approach just like a coach in this situation,” Negron told the press. “The first four [deliveries], I was there by myself doing it, like these guys were, so I said, ‘Let me supervise and do what I can.’”
Twelve minutes later, in the middle of the living room floor, Reyes gave birth to a baby boy — Owen Anthony Maldonado, weighing in at 6 lbs. 13 oz.
Paramedics arrived shortly after to cut the umbilical cord and transported the healthy mother and baby to Stony Brook University Hospital.
The SCPD shared the news of the dramatic birth in a Facebook post, writing in part:
“While this is the third time Rebecca has been part of a baby delivery, one person in the room has her beat. This is the fifth baby delivery Sgt. Negron has been involved in as a member of the SCPD, earning him the nickname the “Baby Whisperer.”
How the “Baby Whisperer” Was Born
Negron joined the police force in 2013, however, it wasn’t until 4 years later, in 2017, that he delivered his first baby. It was an experience he’ll never forget.
He was helping a woman in active labor in her kitchen when the baby was born with the umbilical cord around his neck. He wasn’t breathing. Negron had to use a turkey baster he found in a drawer to suck out the fluid in his throat.
Today, he’s the boy’s godfather.
“Of all the past families that I’ve had these experiences with I’ve kept in contact the most with Bryce Pappalardo and his family, not only was he the first child that I helped deliver but his parents asked me to be his godfather and we’ve had a special bond since then,” Negron said.
Since that fateful day, he’s assisted with one delivery each year — including one on the side of the road — despite changing shifts, precincts, and positions.
“I thought that my childbirth days were over when I became a sergeant this year and I guess the record lives on so we’ll see how many we can take it to,” Negron said.
At this rate, that’ll be a whole lot of babies.
How the Police Officer Feels About Being the “Baby Whisperer”
Although he doesn’t have any children of his own, he figures when he does become a father, his “skills might come in handy.” Skills he learned from watching a video on childbirth while attending the police academy.
At the time, he thought it was “never going to happen.” Five babies down, it’s a good thing he paid attention in class.
It’s an experience he’s grateful to be a part of.
“Being a part of five childbirths has been the most rewarding part of my career to date, and I can’t imagine anything topping that,” Negron said. “I’ve been asked a lot if I expect this to happen again, at this point I truly believe I’m put in these situations for a reason that I can’t explain but if and when it does I’ll be ready to embrace the challenge, and do my part to welcome a new life into the world.”
