Woman goes into labor in back of police car

RUMFORD – A Bethel woman was taken to a hospital rather than a jail cell after she began going into labor in the back seat of a police car after her arrest on a domestic violence charge.

Police said Tiffany Burlingame, 23, gave birth at Rumford Hospital on Saturday night after being arrested earlier in the evening for allegedly assaulting her husband in a fight while driving in Rumford.

Officer Doug Maifeld told the Sun Journal of Lewiston that Burlingame, who was eight months pregnant, began going into contractions in the back of the police car. He said an ambulance met them at the police station and took the woman to the hospital.

Police said the mother and baby then were taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where they were reported to be doing fine.