A Long Island cop who’s assisted with the births of multiple babies while on duty is garnering national media attention.
Suffolk County Police Sergeant Jon-Erik Negron has been dubbed “the Baby Whisperer” after recently delivering his fifth baby since joining the department. In Shirley, Long Island, over the Thanksgiving weekend Negron and Officers Jadin Rodriguez, Zachary Vormittag and Conor Diemer responded to a call of a woman in labor who was unable to make it to the hospital. With help from the officers, Rebecca Reyes gave birth to baby Owen at 10:25 a.m.
“While this is the third time Rebecca has been part of a baby delivery, one person in the room has her beat,” Suffolk County Police Department wrote on social media. “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.’”
Negron has been a part of four other births since his first in 2017.
“I thought my childbirth days were over when I became a sergeant,” he joked. “I guess the record lived on.”
The most complicated delivery for Negron was surely his first. The infant’s airway happened to be blocked and it was apparent the child wasn’t breathing. Using a turkey baster from the kitchen, Negron was able to successfully remove the fluid that was blocking the baby’s windpipe, causing him to start breathing. Because of his role in that delivery, the baby’s parents requested that Negron be the child’s godfather, which he accepted.
Negron has gained national attention for his feats and recently appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show to talk about his experiences and present him with a gift basket .
“Me and my buddies were seeing the video [that the police academy shows] you about delivering a baby and what you would do in a situation like that, and we were like, ‘Nah, we’re not gonna deliver a baby, it’ll never happen,’” Negron told Hudson. “And the Suffolk Police academy instructor is like, ‘It happens. It might be you.’ I didn’t think it would be five times, but it did.”
While Negron is quick to say he’s still no expert, he told Inside Edition his tips for anyone who finds themselves assisting with a birth: Stay calm and focus on breathing.
“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,” he 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.”
