Baby Born in South County Hospital Parking Lot

Published 12/11/2023

*Meghedi, Sako, and their children Yeva, age 3, and Hrag, six months*

When Every Minute Counts, South County Hospital Emergency Department Delivers

On the evening of August 14, 2023, Meghedi and her husband, Sako, found themselves immersed in the nightly routine of tending to their 3-year-old daughter, Yeva. Meghedi was pregnant with their second child, and it happened to be her due date. Despite this, she remained relatively unfazed when mild contractions began around 9:30 p.m., fully aware of her upcoming doctor’s appointment in Providence the next day.

Her experience as a second-time mother equipped her with the knowledge of when it was time to take action — a realization that struck when her contractions intensified, and her water broke later that night.

It wasn’t part of their original birth plan, but when Sako asked where to go, Meghedi’s answer was swift and unwavering: South County Hospital. At 1:28 a.m., they set out from their Jamestown residence, expecting a 20-minute drive. Astonishingly, they arrived in just 12 minutes.

Meghedi, Sako, with their children and South County Hospital Emergency Department staff who helped to deliver their son, Hrag, in August 2023 — *Meghedi and Sako, with their children and South County Hospital Emergency Department staff who helped to deliver their son, Hrag, in August 2023*

When Sako rushed into the Emergency Department, the staff was prepared to assist. Emily Colyer Pacheco, DO, was the attending physician in the Emergency Department that night. She ran outside and helped Meghedi bring her baby boy into the world, right there under the night sky in the hospital parking lot.

“When they arrived, it was an urgent situation. They didn’t have a minute to spare.” says Dr. Colyer Pacheco

The emergency department team effectively stabilized both mother and child before bringing them to South County Hospital’s Women and Newborn Care Unit on the second floor. There, Meghedi and her newborn, Hrag, received personalized care within a nurturing environment.

Despite meticulously planning her birthing experience, Meghedi shares that when her plan required last-minute adjustments, South County Health proved to be the best choice. She cites “exceptional care and an amazing staff, from Dr. Colyer Pacheco and all the nurses in the Emergency Department and Women’s Wing, to the phlebotomist” as the reasons for her resounding endorsement of their services.

South County Health's Women and Newborn Care Unit nursing team — *Women & Newborn Care Unit*

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