baby,  she said.  My focus was to get her out sooner rather than later. 

That's because the longer a field delivery takes, Watson noted, the better the chances of something - like the umbilical cord wrapping around the baby's neck - going wrong.

But within just a few minutes, baby Ellowyn had been born into Watson's arms. She wrapped the infant in a towel to keep her warm until paramedics arrived and helped Michael cut the cord before handing the newborn to her mother.

 As soon as she was fully delivered, (Ellowyn) was screaming, which was a great sign,  Watson said.  It was one of the best outcomes you could have for a delivery out in the field like that. 

Grayslake police officer Kelsey Watson, right, reunited on Sept. 5, 2026 with Eollwyn Bong-Dinovo, who she delivered on Aug. 18 when her mother, Lauren Bong-Dinovo, left, went into labor at home. The special delivery came just about six hours into Watson's first shift as a police officer. (Grayslake Police Department)

The family of Eollwyn Bong-Dinovo brought some treats along on Sept. 5, 2026, when they visited the Grayslake police officers who helped deliver the newborn at their home on Aug. 18, 2026. (Grayslake Police Department)

Grayslake police officer Kelsey Watson, center in uniform, reunited earlier this month with members of the Bong-Dinovo family, from left, Marek, Camden, Lauren, Ellowyn (in Watson's arms), Paxton and Michael. (Grayslake Police Department) Show Caption 1 of 3 Grayslake police officer Kelsey Watson, right, reunited on Sept. 5, 2026 with Eollwyn Bong-Dinovo, who she delivered on Aug. 18 when her mother, Lauren Bong-Dinovo, left, went into labor at home. The special delivery came just about six hours into Watson's first shift as a police officer. (Grayslake Police Department) Expand

Both Watson and Bong-Dinovo credit the other's calm for navigating the stressful and potentially dangerous situation to an ideal outcome.

 It wasn't until after she was born that the panic set in about all the things that could have gone wrong,  Bong-Divino said.  She did a great job of taking me through what we needed to do to get Ellowyn out into the world safely.

Only later did the family learn that Watson had been on the job for only hours before the special delivery.

 (Officer Watson) really just came in and took control of the situation,  Bong-Divino added.  It was like she'd been doing it forever. 

We meet again

Watson reunited earlier this month with Ellowyn, along with her parents and big brothers Marek, 14, Camden, 4, and Paxton, 2, at the Grayslake police station.

The family brought along some specially decorated cookies to say thanks, but the star attraction was Ellowyn, who found herself back in Watson's arms and posed for plenty of photos alongside her family and members of the police department.

 I love kids, so I was very excited just to hold her again,  Watson, 22, said.

Grayslake police Sgt. Steve Teschner, who was on scene to witness Watson in action on Aug. 18 and coordinates field training of new officers, said delivering good work is the norm for the department, though not quite like this.

 It's just not every day we have a new recruit deliver a baby within the first six hours of her first shift,  he wrote in an email.  To say we're proud of Ofc. Watson's actions that night would be an understatement.