California Woman Stranded in Woods Gives Birth in Car; Rescued After 3 Days

Oroville, Calif . - An Oroville woman was due to give birth after feeling contractions on Wednesday night and decided to drive to her parents. However, the soon-to-be mom took the unfamiliar shortcut, which didn't work for her, as she found herself lost in the wilderness for three days.

Amber Pangborn, 35, tells an NBC affiliate in Oroville that she was told about the back road and it was shown to her a few times, but she had not driven on that route on her own, KCRA reports.

As Pangborn drives, her gas depletes, her cell phone loses its service and her labor intensifies. She realizes that she was lost while traveling along the French Creek Road; however, it was already too far to turn back, especially because she was running out of gas. Pangborn was hoping to find someone on the road who can help her, but there was none.

She helped herself deliver her child by conquering her fears. She said, "I laid out a sleeping back in the backseat, lied down, gripped the handle above the back window and gave birth to my daughter," Action News Now revealed.

The baby was born on Thursday morning, at approximately 5 a.m., Global News said.

Pangborn admitted that she didn't cut the umbilical cord until the next night for fear that the baby would have nothing to eat. According to KRCA, she survived the whole ordeal with just small bottles of soda and water and three apples that she happened to bring with her in her car.

After delivering the baby safely, the mother and daughter faced another struggle. They were stuck in the Plumas National Forest and reaching out for help was difficult.  Every time she tried to get out of her vehicle, she encountered a swarm of mosquitoes and bees.

The meat bees tried to get to the placenta, but Pangborn did not allow them to come close, protecting her newborn. "I was trying to protect (my daughter) from getting stung and I got stung trying to keep them away from the baby but they kept going back to the placenta," she said to KRCA.

The threatening situation continued for three days. Thanks to the skills her dad taught her, Pangborn made a plan. On Saturday, she decided to start a fire to get attention. Using a lighter and aerosol can, she torched some dry bushes. The fire spread out quickly that Pangborn told her daughter that her mom just started a forest fire.

Pangborn's plan worked as the U.S.Department of Forestry fire detection system was alerted and a helicopter was dispatched to put the fire out.

According to Action News Now, the helicopter came too close to Pangborn's car that she feared it might land on top of them. Pangborn was crying because she thought they will die there, but, thankfully, they were found and rescued.

Pangborn and her daughter were admitted to Oroville Hospital, but baby Marissa was taken to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento on the following day, Sunday, for further evaluation.

Allan Williams, Pangborn's father was very proud of her. The family was relieved after hearing that Pangborn and her baby were safe.

"I felt my prayers had been answered. I truly believe I witnessed a modern-day miracle. I know babies are born every day and to hear such a heroic story, being all by herself for three days, it was almost unbelievable, " Williams said to Action News Now.