A Mattawan police officer found herself delivering a baby in a public parking lot this week, turning a routine call into a once in a career moment she said she will never forget.

Officer Lacey Ryan with the Mattawan Police Department responded Tuesday to a dispatch call that caught her and her chief completely off guard.

"A woman is in labor and the baby's head is coming out," Ryan said, recalling the call from dispatch. "Him and I were both like, 'oh my goodness!'"

Both officers jumped into their cars and headed to the public parking lot along Cole Avenue, across from the local Speedway gas station.

A Birth Happening in Minutes

When Ryan arrived, she found the mother in the passenger seat of a car. Contractions were already about one minute apart.

Ryan said she initially hoped EMS would arrive before the baby was born. The situation moved faster than expected.

"It got to the point where she was like, 'guys, I can't do this anymore,'" said Ryan. "'I have to push.'"

Ryan had no specialized training for delivering babies. She had no instructions from dispatch on how to handle the situation. She delivered a baby girl anyway.

The baby, named Athena, arrived just two and a half minutes after Ryan pulled into the parking lot.

First Breath

Ryan said the newborn's umbilical cord was loosely wrapped around her neck. Ryan removed the cord and stimulated the baby's back until she started crying.

"Baby girl came right on out. The cord was loosely wrapped around her neck, so I was able to remove that and stimulated her back a bit and she started crying," Ryan said. "After I handed baby on to mom, I stepped away and I just was like, 'oh, okay. What just happened? This is wild.'"

A Rare Moment for a Young Officer

Ryan has been with the Mattawan Police Department for just over four years. She said she handles everything from assault complaints to civil suits to larceny calls during a typical shift. Delivering a baby is not part of the routine.

She asked her chief how many babies he had delivered during his career. His answer was one. Athena.

"It was just a wild experience," Ryan said. "That little baby and that mom is going to have a story for the rest of their life."

Ryan said she has stayed in contact with the family since the birth. Both the mother and Athena are healthy and recovering well, according to Ryan.

The incident highlights the unpredictable nature of policing in a small community like Mattawan. Officers there are often the first responders to emergencies far beyond traditional law enforcement duties.

"Officer Lacey Ryan with the Mattawan Police Department said every day on the job is unexpected," the department reported.

Ryan said she knows this is a once in a career opportunity. She is grateful she was there when the family needed help the most.

"It's not often an officer turns doctor," Ryan said.

The story comes as Memorial Day weekend travel reaches record levels across Michigan. AAA says more than 1.3 million Michiganders are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this holiday weekend, making roads across the state busier than usual.

That means more people on the road. And more chances for unexpected emergencies to unfold in places like a Mattawan parking lot.