text: Expectant mom AmberMarie Irving-Elkins felt a few contractions on Thursday morning but thought she had enough time to run a few last errands before the arrival of her baby. But the little boy, Malachi, had other ideas. She was in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles to pay a fine on Thursday when she suddenly knew he was coming - and there was no way she'd make it to hospital in time. 'I had that contraction that hit me and brought me to knees,' the mom-of-three told KTLA. Scroll down for video . Surprise: Baby Malachi Elkins was born in the hallways in a Los Angeles courthouse on Thursday morning as his mother, AmberMarie Irving-Elkins, was there to pay a fine. The baby boy was healthy . Clerks rushed to her side and alerted officers from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who were inside the courthouse. Deputy Marquette Oliver ran over to assist her. 'She was like, 'I'm having the baby right now',' Oliver recalled. 'I was like, "Hold on! Hold on!"' But there was no stopping baby Malachi. 'I had to push,' Irving-Elkins said, describing how she laid on the floor. 'That's when Sheriff Oliver said, "Don't push, don't push!" and I said, "Oh, I've got to push".' Relief: AmberMarie Irving-Elkins laughs about the birth while in hospital with her healthy newborn son . Helping hand: Deputy Marquette Oliver was in the courthouse and told her to stop pushing - but she could not . At the ready: He shows how he bent down to catch the baby boy as he slipped onto the floor . She pulled down her trousers and the baby's head was visible, Deputy Oliver said. So he bent down and caught the baby as he was born. 'It was all over in about five minutes,' said Associated Press reporter Anthony McCartney, who happened to be there. 'She gave birth in the hallway, pretty much unassisted.' It was the officers who told Irving-Elkins that she had given birth to a boy. Officers had surrounded the mother and blocked her off with cardboard boxes in a bid to give her some privacy in the busy hallways. McCartney said people started cheering when they realized a baby had been born. 'I don't think they even realized what was going on until they saw this woman had a baby, obviously a newborn, on her chest,' the reporter said. 'They cheered and clapped and everything.' Doing well: Malachi's mother said she thinks his birthplace means he might be a judge or a lawyer . Family: The mother and son were rushed to hospital, where they were met by his dad and older siblings . Scene: She was feeling contractions before she went into the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, pictured, but thought she had time to run some errands before heading to the hospital - but Malachi had other ideas . 'Mom & baby fine!' the Special Enforcement Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department tweeted Thursday, along with a photo of the healthy baby boy inside the courthouse. They were then taken to hospital, where Malachi met his dad, Nom, and two older siblings, who were grateful for the officers' actions. 'I do want to thank them for stepping in and stealing my shine,' Nom joked with KABC. 'No. Thank you. I'm glad he's here. He's healthy. We're happy. Everything's good.' Irving-Elkins said her son's birthplace means he may now be a judge, lawyer or sheriff's deputy. See below for video .
target: AmberMarie Irving-Elkins felt a few contractions on Thursday morning but thought she had time to go to an LA courthouse to pay a fine .
  But while she was there, she felt the baby coming - and knew she did not have enough time to get to hospital .
  Officers ran to her aid and caught baby Malachi as he was born .