PHILADELPHIA – The Coast Guard along with local agencies are searching the Delaware River in the vicinity of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge after a woman reported giving birth and throwing her child into the water from the bridge Tuesday.
The Coast Guard received a call at approximately 3:55 a.m. from a nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Philadelphia, reporting Michelle “Shelly” Perez told her she had given birth at 3:35 a.m., threw her baby into the water and was walking down Broadway in Camden crying. It was also reported from Perez later to another nurse she threw her 4-year-old and 2-year-old in the water from the bridge.
A rescue boat crew from Coast Guard Station Philadelphia and a rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City, N.J., are searching along with crews from Camden Police and Fire Departments, the New Jersey State Police, Philadelphia Fire and Rescue Department and Philadelphia Marine Police.
The Coast Guard asks anyone with information on the whereabouts of Michelle “Shelly” Perez of Camden please contact Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay Command Center at 215-271-4940.
