A new body image shows a Louisville police officer citing a pregnant woman and handing her documents despite pleading that she is about to give birth and would like to be left alone.
Louisville Public Media (LPM) reported that Lt. Caleb Stewart of Louisville police issued the woman a citation for illegal street camping, which requires a court appearance and a fine.
The woman – who asked LPM to remain anonymous – gave birth later that day at a nearby hospital, her public defender told LPM.
A spokesperson for the Louisville Police Department told PEOPLE that we “support” officers “using discretion” while on duty.
“We also understand that everyone may not agree with those decisions, but we are committed to being transparent in speaking and explaining procedures and policies to the public,” said the spokesperson.
Ryan Dischinger, the public defender assigned to the woman’s legal case, told LPM that the woman and her newborn son are healthy and currently living in a shelter — without the help of the police department, which took credit for the woman’s safety when reached by PEOPLE. comment this week.
“Without the intervention of the police and calling EMS, it is possible that the child was born without medical assistance,” said the Ministry. The police spokesperson did not answer BANTU’s questions about Lt. Stewart faces disciplinary action.
Body camera video shows Lt. Stewart returned to his car after telling the woman he was delivering a letter to her. When he is in the car, he tells himself what just happened, accusing the woman of making up a “strange story” about giving birth.
“Therefore, I do not believe at all that this woman will give birth,” said Lt. Stewart. “But I called EMS, I asked for code 3, just in case I’m wrong.”
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The images released by the department show a woman telling Lt. Stewart says she is “leaky” and will give birth many times.
“You are all bad people,” the woman later told Lt. Stewart, as she raised her voice to him as he started to walk away from her with the blanket.
“You don’t have to scream and you don’t have to push me,” said the woman, explaining that she wanted to find her husband who had just called an ambulance before the police arrived.
Meanwhile, the orange city dump truck can be seen on camera taking out the mattress the woman was resting on when the police first came.
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“You are all evil,” said the woman to Lt. Stewart and other officers surrounded him. “I’m glad you all got this job—with the homeless and not to help the community.”
The citation comes from a new Kentucky state law that prohibits people from setting up tents on the streets, according to LPM. The Safer Kentucky Act makes street camping a misdemeanor violation and can result in fines.
Dischinger, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Friday, told LPM that “the reality for him, and for anyone who is homeless in Kentucky, is that they’re always breaking the law.”
“What he needed was help and sympathy and instead he met with violence,” said the public defender.
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