Woman Gives Birth in NYC Court After 24 Hours in Custody, Lawyers Claim

A woman was left “traumatized and humiliated” after being forced to give birth while handcuffed to a bench inside a New York courtroom. According to a legal aid group, the incident occurred after she had been held in custody for over 24 hours.

Samantha Randazzo, 33, went into labor and delivered her child on a courtroom bench in Brooklyn on Friday. The event reportedly took place “without adequate medical care, privacy, or dignity,” as stated by a group of public defenders and legal advocates.

Randazzo was surrounded by law enforcement, prosecutors, and courtroom staff during the delivery. Some individuals reportedly laughed and joked at the situation, according to the group's claims. They emphasized that she deserved care, compassion, safety, and dignity, but instead faced trauma and humiliation in full public view.

Her lawyer, Wynton Sharpe, disputed the group’s claims and stated that court officers reacted quickly. He mentioned that the presiding judge cleared the room immediately. Sharpe told a news outlet, “She didn’t have to say anything. We were like, oh OK, this is happening, like, now.” He described the situation as “a joyful and sad situation, given the circumstances.”

Al Baker, a spokesperson for the New York Office of Court Administration, said that “officers acted with swift professionalism to ensure the safety and sanctity of life for all individuals” in court. He highlighted the virtues of their sworn service and expressed relief that both mother and baby were well.

Randazzo was arrested on Thursday on charges of drug possession and trespassing. According to the New York City Police Department, she was allegedly on the roof of her building in the Nostrand Houses in Brooklyn without permission. Officers claim they found a small amount of heroin and cocaine on her during a search.

Randazzo was not eligible for a desk appearance ticket, which would allow her to return to court at a future date, because she had an open warrant for her arrest. She was taken to a nearby hospital, then discharged 30 hours later and taken to the courthouse for arraignment.

“Ms. Randazzo had reportedly recently been discharged from a hospital despite being nine months pregnant before being returned to custody and brought to Brooklyn arraignments, where she went into labor in open court,” according to a joint statement from several legal aid organizations.

The statement continued, “That should horrify every New Yorker.” It emphasized that no person should ever be forced to give birth in handcuffs or endure labor while restrained, exposed, and denied basic medical care and human dignity.

The delivery inside a courtroom was described as “not simply a failure of protocol or preparedness” but “a profound moral failure and a devastating reflection of the cruelty embedded in our carceral system.” The groups are demanding an “immediate and transparent investigation” into the agencies and personnel involved, including the NYPD, the Office of Court Administration, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, and “court staff responsible for the conditions that led to this incident.”

They have also called for a review of the treatment of all pregnant people in custody. “A child entered the world in a courtroom, while their mother was in chains,” the statement said. “New Yorkers should be outraged that this happened in our city in 2026.”

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