NWI Mother Forced to Deliver on Road After Hospital Dismissal
NWI Mother Forced to Deliver Baby on Road After Hospital Dismissal
CROWN POINT, IN – A Northwest Indiana family is demanding accountability and systemic change after a harrowing ordeal at Franciscan Health Crown Point left a mother delivering her own baby on the side of a highway.
Mercedes Wells, 38, arrived at the hospital on November 16, 2025, in visible agony. Despite her water breaking and contractions occurring just one minute apart, staff discharged her, claiming she was “not far enough along” at three centimeters dilated. Just eight minutes after being wheeled out of the facility, Wells gave birth to her daughter, Alena, in the front seat of her husband’s pickup truck.
“I Felt Less Than Human”
The incident, captured in a viral video by Wells’ mother, shows the 38-year-old breathing through intense contractions as she is escorted out by security. “I begged to stay. I told them something wasn’t right, the nurse touched the top of my stomach and said my uterus was still soft, so I couldn’t be in active labor. I’ve had three children before—I knew my body, but I was completely dismissed.”
Her husband, Leon Wells, described a chaotic scene on the road as he navigated driving while delivering his daughter. “I saw her head protruding. I called 911, but they were more worried about my location than the fact that my baby was coming. I had to put my fingers at the bottom, grasp her head, and pull as my wife pushed. She came out in one push.”
The family eventually reached Community Hospital in Munster, where they say the treatment was “night and day.” Fifteen staff members were reportedly waiting outside with blankets and towels to receive them.
Indiana’s Maternal Health Crisis
The Wells’ story has reignited a fierce debate over Black maternal health disparities in Indiana. While the state has made strides, 2025 reports still place Indiana 38th in the nation for maternal mortality. Current data reveals that Black women in Indiana are 3.1 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women, a gap that widens in cities like Indianapolis where the likelihood of mortality is 73% higher for Black mothers. Furthermore, the Indiana Department of Health indicates that over 80% of these deaths are preventable, yet systemic issues persist, as evidenced by Black infants dying at a rate of 10.9 per 1,000 live births—more than double the rate of White infants. These health outcomes align with broader disparities where Black Hoosiers rank in the bottom 14th percentile for overall healthcare quality.
Hospital Response and The “WELLS Act”
In a statement, Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady admitted the hospital “failed to listen” and terminated the physician and nurse involved. The hospital has since mandated cultural competency training and a new rule requiring a physical examination by a physician for every labor and delivery discharge.
Here’s the full statement that was released on November 21, 2025 from Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Raymond Grady:
“The recent video shared on social media does not reflect the values of Franciscan Health Crown Point, which include respect for life and compassionate concern. Respect for life can be compromised when a mother and baby are prematurely discharged. Thankfully, both mother and baby are reportedly doing well and everyone should celebrate the new addition to this family.
Compassionate concern is absent when a caregiver fails to listen to a patient who is clearly in pain and vulnerable. The video was difficult to watch. We failed to listen to Mrs. Wells’ concerns. As an experienced mother who publicly acknowledged having previously given birth at our hospital with a positive experience, she knew something was not right.
We must fix what failed in our hospital so that no one experiences what happened to Mercedes Wells. After careful review of the care provided to Mrs. Wells, I have taken the following actions. First, the physician and the nurse directly involved with Mrs. Wells’ care are no longer employed by Franciscan. Secondly, I have mandated cultural competency training for all labor and delivery staff. Lastly, all pregnant patients leaving the Labor and Delivery unit will be examined by a physician before they leave the hospital.
On behalf of Franciscan Alliance and Franciscan Health Crown Point, I apologize to Mrs. Wells and her family for failing to live up to our Franciscan values. We are committed to holding ourselves accountable through our actions so that every patient is heard and receives compassionate, equitable care. Any evidence of actions to the contrary will not be tolerated. We’ve reached out to the family and it is my hope to meet in person with them very soon.”
Shortly after this statement was released, Grady did meet with the Wells family and released the following below:
“I was pleased to meet with the Wells family today. Our goal was simple: to listen to their concerns, take accountability for not living up to our values and to reiterate the swift action we took to prevent their experience from happening again.
As I have said previously, the physician and the nurse directly involved with Mrs. Wells’ care are no longer employed by Franciscan. I have also mandated cultural competency training for all labor and delivery staff. In addition, pregnant patients leaving the Labor and Delivery unit will be examined by a physician before they leave the hospital. After spending time with the Wells family, I am even more confident that we share the same goals, to ensure every patient is heard and receives compassionate, equitable care. As we have shared with Rep. Robin Kelly’s staff, we also support proposed federal legislation that promotes safer, more equitable maternal care nationwide.
We look forward to continuing the conversation with the Wells family and to keeping them informed of the progress of our enhanced cultural competency training as it moves forward.”
The impact has reached the halls of Congress. U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL) officially introduced the WELLS Act (Women Expansion for Learning and Labor Safety Act) in late 2025. The bill would mandate a “Safe Discharge Labor Plan” for all hospitals nationwide, requiring clinical justification, travel assessments, and documented patient understanding before any laboring mother is sent home. “Mercedes’s courage to speak out knows no bounds,” Rep. Kelly stated. “Her bravery will help other moms receive the care they deserve.”
Long-Term Scars
While baby Alena is home, the family says the trauma is far from over. Mercedes is currently undergoing physical therapy for pelvic floor damage caused by the unassisted birth, and the couple remains concerned about seizures the infant has experienced since the birth. “Every year on November 16th, we’re going to feel this,” Leon said. “We give God the glory that they are safe, but this should have never happened. We were treated like criminals for being in pain.”
WIBC’s Johnette Cruz interviewed the family and the video/audio interview can be found HERE.
