Granite Shoals police officer helps in roadside baby delivery
Expecting father and Granite Shoals Police Officer Shane Mahoney got a lesson in childbirth June 18 when helped in a roadside baby delivery. The humble Mahoney continued on his way to the Texas DPS Crime Laboratory in Austin and didn’t mention his roadside assistance to his superiors until the next day. Courtesy photo
As Granite Shoals police officer Shane Mahoney headed into Austin to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory on June 18, he wasn’t expecting an expectant mother on U.S. 281.
But that’s just what he discovered.
According to the GSPD, Mahoney was on U.S. 281 in his patrol unit at about 7:05 a.m. when he heard a call for EMS for a baby being born in a vehicle in the 3900 block of the highway north of Marble Falls. It happens that Mahoney was coming up on the vehicle.
The dispatch reported that “the baby was out.”
A man on the side of the road waved Mahoney down. When the officer stopped, he found the newborn and mother in the vehicle. The family was on their way to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Marble Falls.
Mahoney, who is expecting a child of his own in October, retrieved a shoestring from his vehicle and used it to tie off the umbilical cord. By this time, Marble Falls police, Marble Falls Area EMS, and Marble Falls Fire Rescue units had arrived on the scene.
The Granite Shoals officer turned the scene over to them and continued to Austin.
Mahoney didn’t mention his roadside delivery assistance until the next day when he started his shift.
“Actions of our officers are what make this difference in our community and are examples of professional law enforcement that are currently not making the headlines,” said Granite Shoals Police Chief Gary Boshears.
Granite Shoals Police Captain Chris Decker added that being a police officer is about serving the community.
“Each of us pride ourselves on the oath we took to be defenders of the Texas and U.S. constitution(s), but also guardians of the public,” he said, “coming to their aid no matter when, or in this case, where help is needed.”