Pennsylvania Officer Helps Delivers Baby at Motel

Officer Matthew Groff 

York Dispatch: A pregnant York City woman got some surprising but welcomed room service early Friday morning when a police officer helped deliver her baby in a Manchester Township hotel room.
 

A healthy baby girl was born at 12:39 a.m. to the woman, whose identity is not being released. The mother was aided by Northern York County Regional Police Officer Matthew Groff, who only recently returned to work after he recovered from a serious car accident.

Groff arrived at the Super 8 Motel at 40 Arsenal Road just in time to help deliver the baby, according to Lt. David Lash.

Lash said there was no time to get the 28-year-old woman to the hospital. He arrived at 12:35 a.m. and was delivering the baby four minutes later. And no, Groff and other officers have no training in childbirth.

"He relied on his own personal ability," Lash said.

Groff was seriously injured in an April 18 crash on I-83, when the police cruiser he was driving rear-ended a slow-moving box truck, knocking out the lights on both vehicles. A tractor-trailer then rear-ended the cruiser, according to police. Groff suffered facial and lung injuries, but has since recovered. He returned to work in September.

The woman and her baby were transported to York Hospital by Manchester Township EMS and were reported in good condition at the time, Lash said.