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911 Operator Meets Mom And Baby She Helped Deliver By Phone

ROMOLAND (CBS) — CBS2 and KCAL9 reporter Greg Mills was in Romoland Thursday for the touching meeting between a 911 operator and the woman she aided in an at-home birth over the phone.

Anjanette Bentley, the mom, met Jami Cook, the operator and Bentley stated the obvious. "I couldn't have done it without you," she said.

Little Josiah Bentley, born on December 1, couldn't wait to get into the world. He was born on the Bentley bathroom floor... and two weeks early.

Anjanette has two older children but both born in a hospital and on time. Little Josiah had other plans.

Anjanette was home with her 2-year-old daughter, Alexis, when her baby brother decided to appear. Another son, Jalen, was in school and husband Cornelius was 20 minutes away. He told his wife to call 911.

That's where Cook -- an 11-year veteran of the Cal Fire and Riverside Fire Department Emergency Command Center -- came in. "I remember the entire call from start to finish," she told Mills.

Cook had helped deliver babies by phone before, but in all of those cases an adult was present to help. Bentley only had her 2-year-old with her and she was crying because she didn't understand what was happening.

Bentley told Mills that Josiah is her biggest baby. And last. "After this experience, this is definitely the last one. That kind of did it."

The drama didn't end with Josiah's birth. His 2-year-old sister knew she shouldn't let strangers in the house, so she refused to open the door for paramedics. Mills reports paramedics ended up having to smash two doors to get in!

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