Muldrow Police Chief Helps Deliver Own Grandchild

Wilson Rosalynne

Police officers are sometimes called upon to do the unusual…like deliver a baby. But it’s seldom they have to deliver their own grandchild.

Nevertheless, that is what Muldrow Police Chief George Lawson nearly had to do on Friday.

That’s when his new granddaughter, Wilson Rosalynne, came into the world a little bit early. Little Wilson Rosalynne wasn’t due until Sept. 17.

That’s why Lawson, his wife Janie, and Nanny Martha, Janie’s mom, weren’t worried, or prepared for that phone call.

But Wilson wasn’t waiting, or she didn’t get the memo. She decided Friday was the day. So mom Krysta Ballard, who lives down the road from parents George and Janie, called and told dad, “My water broke!”

Lawson said he had just come back from getting eggrolls for wife and a granddaughter already visiting. But he dropped those eggrolls and issued orders.

Lawson said, “I told my wife and granddaughter to ‘Get dressed!’ They asked, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because we’re fixin’ to have a baby! I’m going to Krysta’s.’”

And the Muldrow Police Chief, known in family circles as PopPop, left and went to his daughter’s aid.

Childbirth is not a new experience for Krysta. She has two other children, Lawson James, age 13 months, and Noa Graceanne, age 8. And Krysta is a nurse, so the situation was pretty much in hand, and Nanny Martha was also present to assist.

“I delivered a baby once,” Lawson said, “but that was in a parking lot in Fort Smith.”

Lawson said baby Wilson had already arrived by the time he arrived, and all was fine. On the phone with emergency personnel, Lawson said they wanted to know if the cord had been cut. Oops, no it hadn’t. So the new grandfather got to cut the cord himself.

He proudly announces that Wilson Rosalynne weighed in at six pounds and one ounce, but he was so excited he can’t remember how long she was.

Krysta and Wilson Rosalynne were soon transported to Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, and both were in such good shape they got to come home, again, on Sunday.

Ironically, PopPop, now grandfather to five, said Krysta’s cousin was one of the EMTs who transported her to the hospital.

And that of course means that Wilson Rosalynne’s arrival was truly “a family affair.”

Sally Maxwell, Senior News Director

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