JMPD officer goes beyond the call of duty to help mother and newborn baby
A routine day on duty took an unexpected turn when an officer was approached by a family in desperate need of assistance.
A Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officer went beyond the call of duty when she rushed to assist a woman who had given birth at home after the family struggled to secure an ambulance.
JMPD officer Christel Tsoku was on duty on June 12 when she noticed family members running towards her patrol vehicle asking for help.
The baby’s mother, Melissa Therone, had gone into labour during the early hours of the morning. The family had contacted emergency medical services, but according to Therone, no ambulance was immediately available.
As the contractions became more intense, the family realised the baby was coming. Therone eventually gave birth at home, with her husband helping to catch the baby.
Concern grew when the family noticed the umbilical cord was still attached and Therone began losing consciousness. A family member ran to the nearby JMPD officers for assistance.
Tsoku responded immediately and entered the home to assess the situation.
“When I got there, it was actually so full of blood. I saw mom was fainting. I saw the baby. I saw the cord still intact,” Tsoku said.
Although she is not a medical professional, Tsoku relied on her basic first-aid training while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
Paramedics eventually arrived and transported both mother and baby to the hospital. Tsoku believes her training helped her remain calm during the emergency.
“I had to be brave. We face situations where sometimes, yes, I’m human, but at the end of the day, if I panic, they’ll panic, so you have to calm down,” she said.
For Therone and her family, Tsoku’s intervention made a lasting impression. The family described the officer’s actions as going far beyond simply doing her job, particularly because Tsoku later returned to check on the mother and baby after they were discharged from the hospital and brought gifts.
Therone expressed deep gratitude, noting she could never adequately thank the officer for helping her family during the frightening experience.
JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla praised Tsoku for her service, saying this is a perfect example to show that JMPD has good officers who are willing to go beyond the call of duty.
What began as an emergency call for help has become a story of courage, service, and a lasting bond between a police officer and the community she serves.
