Nineteen year old Shellesha Woodstock is overjoyed that her baby daughter,
Lateisha Julene Clarke is out of hospital and reunited with her.
Denise Reid, a passenger onboard Cayman Airways Ltd’s (CAL) flight 600 on Tuesday, 2 October, disclosed that Shellesha Woodstock received very little help with the birth of Lateisha Clarke.
The eyewitness alleged that contrary to media reports, spurred on by CAL officials, Ms Woodstock was mainly responsible for the delivery of her daughter in midair.
"They (the flight attendants) did nothing. She had the baby by herself,” Ms Reid said, two weeks after CAL said three flight attendants assisted Ms Woodstock in the delivery.
The 19-year-old woman gave birth after her water broke 29 weeks into her pregnancy in Grand Cayman.
According to CAL’s press release of 2 October, the crew “went into action to provide as much comfort as possible”.
“The other members of the crew acted superbly and we are proud that we were able to respond the way we did,” the press release continues.
CEO Patrick Strasburger is quoted as saying he was proud of the team, “who acted swiftly and professionally. We have invested a lot of time and money training our crew so that they are ready to deal with situations like this.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, 11 October, Minister of Health Hon Anthony Eden said, “Credit must be given to the staff of our national airline for their tremendous response.”
However, Ms Reid tells a different story. According to her, she was sitting in the same row as the couple (Ms Woodstock and her partner, Laflin Clarke), across the aisle. Soon after the flight was in the air, Mr Clarke beckoned for Ms Reid to come to his assistance. She moved to sit in his seat and Ms Woodstock lay down in her lap.
Ms Reid said that Ms Woodstock was in great discomfort, so she rubbed her shoulders. Then Ms Woodstock said, “It’s coming, it’s coming” followed by “take my pants off”. Ms Reid took off Ms Woodstock’s pants and wrapped her in a blue blanket from the waist down.
After a short while, Ms Woodstock changed her position, putting her head in Mr Clarke’s lap and her legs on Ms Reid’s lap.
Meanwhile, the flight attendants had been alerted to the situation and they prepared an area with blankets and pillows at the front of the plane.
However, Ms Reid alleged that they did not assist with the birth and she was surprised upon hearing of the publicity given to the CAL flight crew without any mention of her assistance to the baby’s mother.
Ms Reid explained that she and Mr Clarke moved Ms Woodstock to the front of the plane. When they placed her on the floor, she saw the baby’s head and told one of the flight crew, who in turn alerted the pilot that the birth was imminent. She said Ms Woodstock delivered her baby unaided.
It was at this point that the pilot decided to divert the plane to Montego Bay instead of heading directly to Kingston as scheduled.
Once the baby was born, Ms Reid wrapped her in an item of clothing from the carry-on bag the parents had taken aboard.
Although one of the CAL staff held the baby’s back while the plane was landing, Ms Reid believes the airline personnel appeared ill-equipped to handle the emergency.
Mr Clarke was extremely appreciative of Ms Reid’s assistance.
“She was of the greatest help. She comforted her when she was in great pain,” he said.
The flight was met by an ambulance in Montego Bay, which took the parents and baby to Cornwall Regional Hospital, while the flight continued on to Kingston.
According to Ms Woodstock, baby Lateisha is slightly jaundiced and may have kidney problems due to premature birth. She is, however, finally out of hospital.
The Jamaican Consulate in Grand Cayman has launched an investigation into the matter.
“The Consul is deeply concerned about the decision taken by the [Cayman Islands] Health Services to authorise Ms Woodstock to travel on a commercial flight while she was in labour,” said Consul Robert Hamaty.
Minister Eden took a very serious view of the matter, promising, “I am requiring a full investigation into the matter, using external, independent sources.”
He added that the Superintendent of Health Insurance has also initiated an investigation into matters related to Ms Woodstock’s health insurance coverage.
The issue is being hotly debated in Cayman, where the parents are residents, as well as in Jamaica, the couple’s birthplace.
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