YELM, Wash., Aug. 18 (UPI) -- A Washington state woman could face neglect charges after giving birth in her bathtub assisted by a friend who watched a YouTube birthing video, police said.
The 31-year-old Yelm woman, whose name was not reported, had been under the care of a midwife, who told authorities she refused to assist the woman in giving birth at her home because it was deemed a high-risk pregnancy, KIRO-TV, Seattle, reported Friday.
The pregnant woman had tested positive for methamphetamine and heroin and the baby would be in need of immediate care of a physician, so the midwife alerted authorities that the pregnant woman refused to go to the hospital, Thurston County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Brady said.
The pregnant woman gave birth in her bathtub Sunday or Monday, with a friend who helped her cut the umbilical cord.
"She advised the deputy that she had watched a YouTube video to learn how to cut the umbilical cord," Brady said of the friend, who is a certified nursing assistant, but has no training in child birth.
Brady said a deputy went to the woman's home Tuesday to check in on her and when she refused entry, the department got a search warrant, KIRO reported.
The baby was found in a car seat in a bedroom and was taken to St. Peter's Hospital in Olympia for treatment.
Brady said doctors there said the baby likely would have died without medical treatment. The infant girl was in stable condition Friday.
The mother could face neglect charges.
