It was nearly 10:30 p.m. in White Lake Township, Michigan, when Officer Frank Wright responded to a routine call with an unexpected outcome. A car had struck a deer near a Meijer store. When Wright arrived, he found the lifeless body of a pregnant doe. She had been fatally hit. But she wasn’t alone.

The impact of the crash had sent the mother into premature labor. "I could tell there was shallow breathing still, so I picked it up by its hind legs and let it drain its fluid out of its lungs," Wright told Daily Mail. “Once it made a noise, I knew then this deer might be okay.”

A Michigan officer delivered a baby deer after a car killed its pregnant mother.

A Lone Survivor

The doe had been carrying triplets. Two were lost. One, however, was still alive. Small, fragile, and barely breathing, the fawn showed faint signs of life. Drawing on experience from his upbringing on a farm in West Virginia, Wright acted quickly. He warmed the baby, stimulated her breathing, and wrapped her in a blanket to stabilize her body temperature.

“It started breathing a little better and made noise, so I knew, uh oh, this one might make it,” Wright told the Daily Mail.

A Police Station Becomes a Nursery

The fawn, estimated to weigh six pounds, was transported to the White Lake Township Police Department. Officer Snow took over the care. Using a bright pink baby bottle filled with milk, she helped the newborn begin its recovery. A cozy bed was made, and officers kept vigil through the night.

According to Mid-Michigan NOW, the midnight shift gave the fawn a name: Little Baby Meijer—a nod to the location of the crash.

The crash triggered premature labor, forcing an emergency roadside delivery.

New Life, New Challenges

Knowing the fawn would need expert care, the police contacted the Detroit Animal Welfare Group. The organization took over, sharing regular updates about Baby Meijer’s condition. As WOOD TV reports, Baby Meijer had suffered from aspiration pneumonia and two small hip fractures, both likely linked to the traumatic birth.

Yet signs of hope began to appear. "He is eating like a champ," DAWG shared on Facebook. His weight increased from 6.1 pounds to 7.4 pounds within days, and his breathing improved.

Officer Frank Wright found three fawns—only one showed signs of life.

Compassion on Duty

For Wright, this wasn’t just a matter of duty—it was instinct. "I grew up on a farm, so I knew how to take care of animals," he told ClickOnDetroit. That background likely saved a life.

The White Lake Township Police Department later reflected, “Sometimes in this job you see and do things you have never done before. We can now mark deer birthing and deer neonatal care off the list,” the Facebook post reads.

One Chance, One Choice

A single moment of action turned a scene of loss into one of fragile new life. Baby Meijer’s journey started beside a busy road, but continues now under watchful care. While the road ahead includes recovery and rehabilitation, what’s clear is that kindness—delivered swiftly and without hesitation—gave a fawn the chance to grow up wild and free.