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Baby born on Spirit Airlines flight between Fort Lauderdale, Dallas

By Ed Adamczyk

June 28 (UPI) -- A woman gave birth to a baby boy on board a Spirit Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Dallas, prompting the plane to divert to New Orleans, airline officials said.

Christoph Lezcano was born Saturday aboard Spirit Flight 971. He weighed 7 pounds and measured 19.5 inches. The flight was diverted to New Orleans after the birth, where medical personnel awaited his arrival.

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His mother, Cristina Penton of Phoenix, was 36 weeks pregnant and travelling with her two children. About 30 minutes into the flight she informed flight attendants she was not feeling well. An unidentified pediatrician and a nurse aboard the plane helped deliver the baby.

"Everything started happening very quickly," the mother said in a Spirit news release. "I didn't think I was having the baby because it was too soon, but after a few minutes I knew I needed medical attention... Soon after that it was clear I was having my baby, and I was in pure panic."

Penton and her new son were taken to a Kenner, La., hospital after the plane landed. Spirit Airlines' representatives visited them at the hospital, where the newborn was presented with a pass providing free plane rides on every birthday. \

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