First babies of 2020 in Chicago: Parents welcome first newborns of the decade at area hospitals

Gemarion Brown was among the first born this year, clocking in 11 minutes past midnight at AMITA Women & Children’s Hospital in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates.

By Jake Wittich

Gabrielle Walkine and Gabriel Brown of Elgin hold their baby, Gemarion, born at 12:11 a.m. on New Year’s Day. — Gabrielle Walkine and Gabriel Brown of Elgin hold their baby, Gemarion, who was born at 12:11 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

Within the first hour of 2020, Chicago-area hospitals welcomed the first newborn babies of the decade.

Baby Gemarion Brown was one of the first born this year, clocking in 11 minutes past midnight at AMITA Women & Children’s Hospital in northwest suburban Hoffman Estates.

Gemarion — weighing 3 pounds, 8 ounces — was born to Gabrielle Walkine and Gabriel Brown of Elgin, according to a hospital spokesperson.

Ivy and Zack Domont with their third child, Sutton Lainey Domont, who was one of the first babies born in the Chicago area on New Year’s Day. — Ivy and Zack Domont with their third child, Sutton Lainey Domont, one of the first babies born in the Chicago area on New Year’s Day 2020.

At NorthShore Evanston Hospital, newborn Sutton Lainey Domont checked in just five minutes later, according to the hospital. She’s the third child of parents Ivy and Zack Domont of north suburban Glencoe.

Baby Sutton, has two older siblings, weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces, a hospital spokesperson said.

Illinois Masonic Medical Center’s first birth of the year was at 12:58 a.m., according to a hospital spokesperson. Phillip Benjamin Brown was born to Stephanie Travis and Benjamin Brown.

Phillip Brown was named after his grandfather, Phillip Matthew Travis, a former Chicago Police officer in the Jefferson Park District who died in 2017. Baby Phillip weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces.

Sloane Jade Gertler was one of the first Chicago-area babies born in 2020, checking just before 2 a.m. at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital.

Sloane Jade Gertler was born just before 2 a.m. at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital. She weighted 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 20 inches long.

At South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, Adaiya Denise Epps was born at 4:37 a.m. to parents Diedra and Anthony Epps. The newborn weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces.

About an hour later, baby Simrah Akhtar was born at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove.

Akhtar, weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces, was born at 5:24 a.m. to parents Sana and Imran Akhtar of Oak Brook.