Family disputes officer's 'home delivery' of child

The grandmother of a child that was born at home said Thursday she delivered her grandson, not a police officer that arrived after she did.

The morning of Sept. 26, Addie Clifton went into labor for her third child, Jasper. The baby was coming much faster than expected and she called her mother, Christy Houle, to come to her house in Columbia Falls. Houle lives just a few streets away from Addie and Joe Clifton’s home. Clifton also called 911 shortly after she called her mother.

Houle said Thursday that she delivered the child at the Clifton’s home with help from her husband, Kelly, and that Columbia Falls police officer Gary Stanberry, who arrived at the house after receiving the 911 call, didn’t arrive until there was only one push left.

Houle said an audio recording of the birth proves her story — it was saved on her phone’s voicemail.

But Stanberry stuck to his story Thursday, saying that when he arrived, the crown of head was just showing, and he delivered the child while Christy Houle stood to his side.

The delivery only took a few minutes. Three Rivers Ambulance arrived after the baby was born and cut the umbilical cord, Houle said.

Houle said she was “disappointed” an original story in the Hungry Horse News gave Stanberry the credit for the delivery.

Child and mother are both home and healthy after a couple of days in the hospital. Jasper joins siblings Joey and Aria.