Woman Gives Birth on Road After Hospital Staff Reportedly Refuse Admission

A woman in active labor was forced to give birth on the side of the road, after being discharged by a hospital in northwest Indiana. Now, her devastated family is demanding justice.

Mercedes Wells and her husband Leon Wells say they begged for help at Franciscan Health Crown Point on Sunday, November 16, 2025, but instead of receiving care, they were escorted out by security, with staff allegedly dismissing the agonizing cries of a woman just minutes away from delivering her baby.

Mere moments later, their daughter was born in the front seat of their car, with no medical staff, no sterile environment, and no preparation. Just a terrified father and a mother in unspeakable pain.

Now, they want answers and more.

Agonizing Pleas and Cold Shoulders

Mercedes and Leon had done everything right after realizing she had gone into labor. Though baby Alena Ariel Wells was arriving two weeks early, the experienced parents didn't panic. They even called ahead to the ER. But what they encountered upon arrival was anything but supportive.

The nurse who checked on her believed Mercedes wasn't far along. "I was in excruciating pain. She seen me in pain and agony, and I guess she still perceived me to not be in labor," Mercedes told CBS News.

Despite the painful contractions that were already one minute apart, the staff at the hospital, where they had already spent several hours, finally told Mercedes to go home and return once her labor had progressed.

And the final insult was that they were physically escorted out by the nurse and security. They didn't even meet the doctor who discharged her.

Once outside, they rushed to their truck to find a medical facility that would actually help.

A Father's Desperation and a Shocking Delivery

But, the couple barely made it on the road when nature took over. According to Mercedes, they left the hospital at 6:20 a.m. that Sunday, and she delivered the baby eight minutes later.

In the front seat of their car, Leon was forced into action. With no medical training and no idea what to do, he did what he could: he prayed for guidance.

And with trembling hands and a heart full of fear, he delivered their daughter right there on the side of the road. Miraculously, both mother and baby survived. But the incident shouldn't have happened.

Family Speaks Out

And the family is not staying silent.

Mercedes's sister-in-law, Cherise Thompson, a digital creator and singer with thousands of followers, told ABC that she woke up on Sunday to a flood of messages from her mother begging her to call back.

What she heard about her brother during that phone call left her reeling.

"He grabbed, like, a blanket, and then, put the baby on Mercedes' chest, my niece on her chest, and drove the rest of the way to the hospital, to Munster Community," Cherise recounted.

Thankfully, staff at Munster Community Hospital finally gave Mercedes the medical attention she so urgently needed.

But Cherise can't forget what her sister-in-law endured. She described how Mercedes had pleaded with the nurse.

"Mercedes begged her. She begged her," she said. "'I'm really in active labor. I can feel it, contractions as I walk. I mean my pain. I'm telling you; I can feel it.' And she just ignored her."

Now They Want Justice

The Wells family has now retained attorney Cannon Lambert to represent them in what they believe is a case of discrimination.

But this isn't about money. It's about making sure no other family has to suffer like this.

"I've seen how common it is in the Black community, so I know that it happens often. I just never thought it would happen to me," Mercedes said.

Their attorney agrees that this is not an isolated case. He says too many people are being dismissed, overlooked, and mistreated in medical settings.

He believes those responsible should be terminated immediately, and the couple is calling for direct talks with hospital administrators to overhaul existing policies. As Mercedes heartbreakingly put it:

"I was treated less than an animal."

Mercedes’s brother-in-law, Lance Thompson Jr., is also demanding changes, not just to protect women from being dismissed in critical moments, but to make sure they are informed, empowered, and unafraid to fight for their rights.

Hospital Under Fire

By November 18, Mercedes and her baby were reportedly doing all right, but the anger only continued to swell.

Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady issued a statement acknowledging they were aware of the situation, especially a video of Mercedes being wheeled out of the hospital.

He said the footage and online comments were concerning, but warned that it only represented one perspective and did not reflect the hospital's values.

Still, the institution began an official investigation into the matter.

"The reality is disparities in healthcare outcomes exist and Franciscan Health Crown Point strives to be part of the solution, not the problem," the CEO said. He promised an internal investigation and vowed the hospital would "take appropriate action based on the findings of our review."

But this didn't end there.

Records Withheld and Identities Hidden

On November 19, Cherise took to social media to call out the hospital.

She revealed that the facility was refusing to release Mercedes's records and would not even identify the nurse or the doctor who discharged her. Their names were also allegedly absent from all documentation.

Additionally, Cherise posted a photo of the nurse who escorted Mercedes out and called on internet sleuths to help unmask her.

It's unclear whether netizens ever uncovered the truth. But just two days later, on November 21, the hospital announced that the nurse and doctor involved were no longer employed at Franciscan Health Crown Point.

A New Twist: The Pain Isn't Gone

While that news seemed to signal a step toward justice, the family says this is far from over.

On November 22, Mercedes and Leon shared a heartfelt video online, thanking supporters for standing by them. Though raising a newborn alongside their other children is hard enough, they vowed to keep pushing for real change.

They asked the public to keep them in their prayers, as they fight for families who may not have the voice or platform to speak out.

But heartbreak struck again.

On Sunday, November 23, Cherise shared an alarming update: Mercedes had been rushed back to the hospital in excruciating pain.

By the next day, she wrote, "Happy Monday All!! Quick update on Mercedes: doctors are saying the extreme pain she's in is the result of trauma from her delivery. Please keep her in your prayers as she continues to heal. 🙏🏾💜"

Cherise continues to keep followers informed on Facebook, rallying support for her sister-in-law as this harrowing ordeal continues to unfold.