Gatesville couple delivers baby at Coryell Health as staff stabilize and transfer

Ruby Deaton and Lucas Franklin of Gatesville experienced an unplanned hospital delivery when their daughter, Andrea-Renea Virginia Franklin, was born at Coryell Health after the couple arrived around 2:20 p.m. on Jan. 16. The baby came just 37 minutes later, at 2:57 p.m., after Ruby’s water broke the day before on Jan. 15.

Coryell Health does not operate a dedicated obstetrics program; it has not had one since 1991. Emergency department clinicians nonetheless stabilized both mother and baby and prepared them for transfer to Ascension Providence in Waco. Hospital officials noted that their emergency team sees about two to three unplanned deliveries each year and is trained to handle rare, urgent births when they occur.

Clinicians performed Apgar scoring on the newborn and deferred nonessential post-birth measures until arrival at the Waco facility. Staff cited two reasons for the delay: the hospital’s infant scales were located outside the treatment room and caregivers sought to limit exposure risks during the current flu season. The infant and mother were transferred once emergency stabilization and initial assessments were complete.

The family described the delivery as remarkably fast and said the experience underscored concerns about local access to maternity care. Residents across Coryell County often must travel outside the county for prenatal appointments and delivery, and this episode renewed conversations about how those distances affect families in labor. The couple chose to seek immediate care at the local hospital when labor progressed quickly.

Coryell Health issued an official statement emphasizing its mission to serve the community and its emergency department’s ability to respond to emergent situations, including infrequent unplanned deliveries. The hospital reaffirmed that emergency teams are equipped to stabilize patients for safe transfer to higher-acuity centers when specialized obstetric care is needed.

For Gatesville and the surrounding communities, the incident is a reminder of how vital emergency preparedness is in a county without an in-hospital maternity service. It also raises practical questions for expectant parents and local policymakers about transportation, prenatal planning, and support systems for rapid labor. In the short term, the family’s transfer to Waco allowed for comprehensive postnatal care; longer term, county residents and leaders may weigh whether expanded local maternity resources or improved transfer protocols would strengthen community health outcomes.