Family slapped with cleaning bill after mum gives birth on back seat of a minicab A mum who have birth in the back of a minicab was stunned when the driver demanded money for cleaning up.
Karolina Dabrowska, 36, had son Sebastian in the vehicle and even posed for pictures with her baby on the back seat.
But they were left speechless when dad Matthew Errington, 43, was asked by the driver to be paid a fee for clearing up.
Matthew claims the driver banged on the ambulance doors and demanded he either clean up himself or hand over cash.
The actions of the taxi driver at the most stressful moment of my life was appalling.
– Matthew Errington
The couple had ordered the minicab from their home in Peckham, south east London, to University College Hospital, in central London, after she went into labour.
But Karolina's waters broke and the driver pulled over outside Aldwych One hotel, near Covent Garden.
Hotel staff gave Matthew towels and a guest, who happened to be a doctor, helped deliver Sebastian after a birthing complication.
She said the baby's coming, we need to stop. So we pulled over. I dialled 999 for an ambulance and ran into the hotel.
There was a doctor in there and two minutes later my son was born in the back of the taxi.
My baby came out with his cord wrapped around his neck and at that point the taxi driver starts asking me for money.
I said my son's not breathing leave me alone. The doctor came out and saved my son's life.
Everybody was so helpful, however the taxi driver saying, 'How am I going to get my taxi clean?'
I got my son breathing and he is still asking for money.
– Matthew Errington Sebastian Errington was born at around 12.30am on October 25 and Matthew paid the driver around £40 for the fare, hoping the no 'fouling charge', which can be up to £100, would be ignored.
He started banging on the doors to get into the ambulance and said get out and clean the taxi.
– Matthew Errington The minicab firm, Addison Lee, have apologised and given them a full refund.
Addison Lee chief executive Andy Bolan wrote to the family on Monday to apologise for his driver's behaviour, refunded the fare and made a £100 donation to Bliss, a premature baby charity.
We would like to wholeheartedly apologise again for the service that Matthew and Karolina experienced, at what was a stressful time for them.
As soon as we investigated what had happened we refunded their fares for both journeys to and from hospital, discussed with the driver how he could have been more sensitive to Matthew and Karolina's needs at a difficult time and are issuing guidance to all our drivers to ensure this unfortunate situation can never happen again.
As a gesture of goodwill we have also made a donation to the premature and sick babies charity, Bliss.
– Matthew Errington source:
http://www.itv.com/news/london/2015-11- ... a-minicab/
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