Royal Oak's Newest Resident Delivered in Front Seat of Jeep

Mom and dad planned on having a traditional delivery early Sunday at Beaumont, Grosse Pointe, but baby Scarlett Elizabeth Cherokee Walters had other plans.

Elizabeth Walters woke husband, Tom, around 2 a.m. with contractions, and they left around 3 a.m. for the hospital.

The couple lives in Royal Oak, and passed the Beaumont Hospital near their home, because their doctor delivers out of the Grosse Pointe location.  

Tom Walters initially thought they had enough time as his wife's contractions were far enough apart. 

"We thought we would make it," he said.

But after about 15 minutes on the road, her water broke. As they tried to get to the hospital, they had to take an alternative route due to ramp closures on the freeway.

Just about a mile from the hospital, Elizabeth started taking off her pants. 

"I tried to calm her down, then all of the sudden I started seeing part of the baby's head coming out," Walters said.

The expectant father, who also had the couple's two-year-old son in the Jeep Cherokee - which was added to the baby's name - then went into aggressive driving mode. He blew threw the last two stop signs and into the hospital parking lot.

He then started screaming at staff outside of the hospital that the head is out. A nurse attended to the expectant mother, and literally "caught the baby," Walters said. 

"We thought we had all the time in the world to get there and get situated," Walters said. 

Scarlett came into the world, in the front seat of a Cherokee, at 8-pounds 7-ounces and 20 inches long.  

"They are doing great. The baby has been sleeping and eating, and mom is happy to have her body back to herself," he added.

Walters said his was wife was going to be discharged Monday afternoon.

"We couldn't be happier," Walters said of how his wife and new daughter has been treated after an eventful delivery.  "It was a hectic ride. It was over before we really new what was happening."