In an unexpected turn of events, a pregnant woman gave birth to a baby boy amidst the bustling atmosphere of a Brooklyn courtroom, right as she awaited arraignment on drug possession charges.
Thirty-three-year-old Samantha Randazzo went into labor on a Friday night in the Brooklyn criminal court, surrounded by law enforcement, attorneys, and court staff, as revealed in a joint statement from the Legal Aid Society and other public defender groups.
At nine months pregnant, Randazzo experienced labor pains and slumped on a courtroom bench just before midnight when her water broke, her attorney, Wynton Sharpe, shared with the New York Times.
“We witnessed it,” Sharpe recounted to the publication. “She didn’t need to say a word. We just realized, oh, it’s happening, like, right now.”
Randazzo’s arrest occurred on Thursday evening when officers observed two individuals on a rooftop at a public housing complex in Sheepshead Bay, allegedly with a controlled substance in clear sight, according to the NYPD.
Following a search, police claimed they discovered Randazzo in possession of a controlled substance, leading to her arrest on charges of drug possession and trespassing, as reported by the authorities.
“At the time of arrest and when they arrived at the stationhouse, Ms. Randazzo was wearing baggy clothes, did not inform officers she was pregnant, did not indicate any disabilities and declined medical attention,” an NYPD spokesperson told The Post.
Randazzo later complained she was experiencing drug withdrawal symptoms and told officers she was pregnant. She was taken to a hospital at 3:30 a.m. on Friday and later discharged. From there, cops brought her to the courthouse, police added.
Sharpe told The Times that doctors had not realized Randazzo was so close to giving birth when they released her.
His client wound up delivering a “bouncing baby boy” right in the courtroom.
“It was a joyful and sad situation, given the circumstances,” Sharpe said.
The Legal Aid Society and Brooklyn Defender Services — which each had attorneys in the courtroom for other arraignments — claimed Randazzo was shackled and handcuffed during the delivery without “adequate medical care, privacy, or dignity.”
“She deserved care, compassion, safety, and dignity. Instead, she was subjected to trauma
and humiliation in full public view,” the joint statement said, adding they are demanding a full-scale investigation of the incident.
But Sharpe denied that Randazzo was handcuffed and shackled while giving birth.
Al Baker, a spokesperson for the Office of Court Administration, also told the Times that her wrists were cuffed behind her back as she waited for her case to be called — and that officers swept in to remove Randazzo’s restraints once her water broke.
“Our team of uniformed UCS officers acted with swift professionalism to ensure the safety and sanctity of life for all individuals in Court on Friday, personifying the everyday virtues of their sworn service,” Baker said in a statement to The Post.
“We are delighted both mother and baby are well,” he added.
Sharpe told the Times he expects Randazzo’s charges to be dismissed. He did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
