Stranger Delivered Dying Mum's Baby After Car Crash

Stranger Delivered Dying Mum's Baby After Car Crash
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A woman delivered a baby from a dying mother following a horrific car crash.

Iria Wolnick brought the baby girl into the world through a severe wound in her mum's abdomen.

The baby, called Emma, survived, but her mum Niser Saldana-Quilantan later died in hospital. The extraordinary drama happened in rural Texas when Iria had stopped at the scene of a crash.

She found that Niser, her boyfriend Edward Ortega and toddler Adrallis Ortega had been thrown from their vehicle. Niser, 19, cried out asking if her unborn baby was alright.

But when Iria went to her aid she saw her terrible injuries and a huge wound to her stomach.

Iria recalled: "She kept asking 'Ma'am how's my baby? How's my baby? I thought she was asking about the toddler, but then I looked down and saw her stomach.

"My reaction was to spring into action and do what I could."

The baby's head and arm were sticking out, so the mum-of-four, acting on intuition and on what little first aid training she had, delivered the 6lb 11oz baby through the wound in Niser's abdomen.

Iria said: "The baby's head and one of her hands was protruded out of the laceration that she had to her abdomen, and the baby was crying which is unbelievable and wonderful."

A passing truck driver managed to tie off the umbilical cord with his shoe lace.

After delivering the girl, named Emma Lyn Anahi Ortega, Iria heard the baby cry just before medics arrived in the scene.

Two-year-old Adrallis and his father, Edward were injured, but managed to make a full recovery following the accident that happened at around midnight on July 5 last year.

Now Iria has been honoured by police for her bravery and presented with a plaque.

Lieutenant Jeremy Rowland said: "These days, a lot of people would drive right by, thinking it's someone else's responsibility.

"Her actions were truly rare and heroic. If it hadn't been for her, two people would have died that night."

At her ceremony Iria said she was travelling to a funeral at the time of the accident.

She said: "I was given the opportunity to bring life into the world in those conditions. It's not something that happens every day."