Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
WEST VALLEY CITY — A premature baby boy was born between the sliding glass doors of the West Valley overflow shelter early Thursday last week.
The baby and his mother were transported by paramedics on scene, leaving behind a small crowd of residents and staff members who, moments prior, had been talking the woman through labor. The sequence of events had unfolded quickly and unexpectedly.
About 5 a.m., the 22-year-old woman began to toss and turn. After a while, her partner woke beside her, as did another resident who waved over a staff member for help. The staff member quickly realized her water had broken and called over an additional staff member to help while he called 911.
"The EMTs were here really fast. It was a super fast delivery. Had she been anywhere else and that delivery been that fast? Well, her reaction was not to get help. Her reaction was just to endure it, and you can see in the surveillance video that she tried to go back to sleep several times," said Paulina Barrios, West Valley overflow general manager. "This went on for a long period where we could have possibly gotten her somewhere more comfortable. But cognitively, she just wasn't there."
There is a particular challenge for homeless service providers in Utah as the end of April approaches, marking the closure of winter overflow and the loss of beds in the system. Providers generally return to regular capacity and other buildings allocated as winter overflow shelters are closed, effectively pushing those previously sheltered back onto the street.
So the Utah Office of Homeless Services asked providers and cities to continue a portion of those operations through the summer with the additional funding the office had received in the recent legislative session. Several cities and providers agreed, extending 400 beds until October. Among that extension was the West Valley overflow shelter, which is operated by Switchpoint.
"I was so relieved to know that this got extended because I did not know how we were going to tell the 170 people that we did not know where they were going to go or what they were going to do. People have established medical care around here; people have jobs around here. We didn't want to disrupt any of the stability that they were trying to get," said Barrios.
The woman and her 23-year-old partner, who both have cognitive delays, found themselves sheltered and surrounded by community because of the extension. Her due date was unclear, but it was obvious the woman was far along in her pregnancy, prompting shelter staff to begin discussing plans with the Midvale Family Center. But the woman was hesitant, almost resistant, about leaving West Valley overflow, even with reassurance that the couple could remain together at the family shelter.
"She didn't want to leave the community that she has here. All the people that are in the couple section, they live together. That's our baby. That's the shelter's baby. Everybody's really invested. We take a lot of pride in the fact that we've cultivated a community where everybody's really protective and invested in each other," said Barrios.
The woman had a doctor's appointment planned that Thursday, with the plan being to narrow down her due date and begin the initial transfer to Midvale. Her labor early Thursday was entirely unexpected.
"We are overjoyed to welcome a new life into the world at West Valley overflow shelter. The birth of this baby reminds us of the resilience and strength of the human spirit, even in the most challenging circumstances," said Carol Hollowell, CEO of Switchpoint. "This event sheds light on the urgent need for adequate resources and support for homeless shelters, especially those serving families. It's a call to action for our community and government to continue investing in these essential services."
The baby is approximately a month premature and will spend another month in the neonatal intensive care unit. Initially his grandmother was going to adopt him, but as of late Tuesday the plan is for him to stay with his parents, who are now transitioning to the Road Home shelter.
"I'm so proud of them for being able to offer that support, that genuine raw moment of just like we're in this together. I'm here with you. I know that it was super impactful for everybody," said Barrios.
A registry for the baby appears on Amazon.com.*
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
