The delivery took place at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, where a doula also happened to be stuck in traffic.

WASHINGTON — A baby girl was born on the side of a San Francisco road over the weekend during heavy traffic. 

The delivery took place at Golden Gate Park on Sept. 19, where a doula was also stuck in traffic—putting her in the right place at the right time. The parents, Nate and Karollyn, were on their way to the hospital when they experienced heavy traffic, pulled over and called 911. 

“We talked together and, you know, helped her through the pushing. And the baby was born,” Katie Higgins, who helped deliver the baby, told CNN. 

Higgins, who trained as a doula 13 years ago, was stuck in traffic while headed to her third-grader’s soccer game. 

“Traffic was just completely stopped. Like cars were turned off,” Higgins told CNN, before adding that someone was calling out for a doctor while in traffic. “He was like, someone’s in labor. And my wife looked at me with big eyes and was like, you can do this. Go help.”

The family of yesterday’s roadside childbirth has approved the release of this photo as we join them in welcoming baby Cielle Ray to the world. @AMR_Social paramedics are leading the follow up on this and can be reached at media@gmr.net

For more on this story view the previous… https://t.co/GL9aIhbbqa pic.twitter.com/r5WJjwlijq

— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) September 20, 2026

Higgins said several other women also jumped in to help, including one who happened to have a box of gloves. 

“It was the best of San Francisco,” Higgins said. 

According to the San Francisco Fire Department, first responders arrived but had to park two blocks away, forcing the crew to run and hike “just in time to deliver a healthy baby girl.” 

“We want to congratulate the family and welcome this new child to the world,” the fire department said in a statement. “Her arrival is a true testament to dedication, compassion and teamwork.”

The fire department also shared a photo of the family after the roadside delivery, along with the baby’s name. Cielle Ray. 

The incident raised concerns about the heavy traffic that the area faces. Crossover Drive is one of only two routes through Golden Gate Park and is typically very slow, especially on weekends. 

“Now that’s actually pretty scary and unfortunate because you would always want to think that there’s a path to get to any hospital in this neighborhood,” Orie Kalu, a resident, told CNN.

Alan Wong, a supervisor on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, said he’s open to looking at traffic changes near the park. 

“I want to make sure that we’re continuing to look at opportunities to reduce congestion and ensure that people are able to get to where they need to go,” Wong said.

CNN Newsource contributed to this report.