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Those were indeed the cries of a newborn baby on the platform at the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station Thursday morning.
The baby boy showed up two weeks early. His mom was on her way to a doctor’s appointment at the time.
“They’re doing great,” says Sharon Taylor of her grandson, Amir Mason, and daughter, Shavonnte Taylor. “I have a beautiful, healthy new grandson: eight pounds, five ounces. And my daughter is doing excellent.”
Amir was born moments after his 23-year-old mother hopped off an inbound Green Line train just before 11 a.m. Thursday.
Shavonnte Taylor was on her way to the George Washington University Hospital for that appointment when she went into labor.
Metro station manager Saa Alpha was right there when it happened.
“It popped right out,” he says. “It was like she was a quarterback. Popped it right out.”
Alpha says off-duty EMT Autumn Manka was among the riders who pitched in.
“One customer took his shirt off and gave it to the EMT to help clean up,” he says. “It was just awesome. Nervous, excited.”
Reached by phone in her hospital room Thursday night, Shavonnte Taylor told us Amir was sleeping comfortably.
“Our thanks to all those involved who helped deliver this healthy baby today,” says Metro spokesperson Caroline Lukas.
Metro General Manager Richard Sarles sent Taylor a handwritten letter of congratulations and a $100 SmarTrip card.
Manka, the EMT, says she was heading into the District from her home in Dumfries, Md., to do some sightseeing.
She says she is new to the area and did her EMT training while her husband was deployed overseas.
“And I want to thank her so much,” says Sharon Taylor of Manka. “And I hope she has all the blessings in the world. She went right to my daughter and she helped my daughter and she didn’t have to. So I thank her with all my heart.”
In an interesting coincidence L’Enfant means “the child” in French. And Pierre L’Enfant’s b-day is Aug 2! #MetroBabyName #WMATA #unsuckdcmetro
Metro Transit Police @MetroTransitPD tweeted at 10:48 a.m. “A baby was just delivered ON THE PLATFORM at L’Enfant Plaza. MTPD on scene. Additional details will follow. #WMATA”
A follow-up tweet announced, “It s a boy!”
Some funny #MetroBabyName suggestions coming in on Twitter from DC folks. Which one you like so far? Tweet with the hashtag or comment on our Facebook.
