Intense bodycam video shows the moment a police officer saved the life of a Texas toddler after the child was choking and unresponsive. The hero officer credits Jesus Christ for enabling a “miracle” in saving the young child’s life.
Southmayd Police Department announced in a statement on Facebook that police responded to reports of a “medical emergency involving a 23-month-old child who was reportedly choking and had stopped breathing” at approximately 12:50 a.m. last Tuesday.
‘Jesus, he definitely was there with me, kept me calm, helped me to be able to think through the processes of what I needed to do.’
Police said the female toddler was “unconscious, unresponsive, and not breathing,” plus she was seen with blood coming out of her mouth and nose.
Southmayd Officer Scott Barrett is seen on police bodycam video responding to the incident and administering emergency assistance.
“Without hesitation, officer Barrett took custody of the child and immediately began administering age-appropriate back blows in an effort to dislodge the suspected airway obstruction,” police stated.
Authorities noted that the girl had at least a partially blocked airway, but Officer Barrett’s actions enabled the toddler to breathe again.
Sherry Steward, the child’s grandmother, told KXII-TV: “It’s like she’s convulsing, so I run and get her, and she’s solid purple, and I realized she’s choking. Blood was coming out of her mouth. Blood was coming out of her nose. She was just non-responsive.”
Emergency personnel from the Whitesboro Emergency Medical Service arrived at the scene shortly after and rushed the child to the Texoma Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment.
Southmayd Police Chief Jeff Laughlin and Lieutenant Michael Aguirre later visited the child’s family and said the relatives were grateful for the quick and effective response by police.
Police noted that the girl is expected to make a full recovery.
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Barrett recalled the crazy situation and explained the challenges of attempting to rescue a choking toddler.
“They’re just smaller, you know, and you don’t want to hurt the child by putting all that force on their abdomen and everything,” Barrett told KXII. “We’re taught to tilt the child over and to just do back blows, firmly, and that’s what I did.”
Barrett also credited Jesus Christ for assisting him during the life-threatening incident. “I was praying Jesus would keep me calm during the whole thing and remember my training,” Barrett stated.
Barrett credited his faith for enabling him to save the young child.
“Praise God, she started breathing,” Barrett explained. “She started whimpering a little bit, and you could tell she was breathing at least a little bit.”
Barrett added, “Jesus, he definitely was there with me, kept me calm, helped me to be able to think through the processes of what I needed to do.”
“He worked a miracle, in my opinion,” Barrett told KXII. “I was just his instrument. Without the training and Christ … who knows what would happen.”
Barrett stayed at the hospital until the child was released and then visited the family the following day at their home, according to KXII.
Barrett said of the toddler recently released from the hospital, “The little girl was out running around like nothing even ever happened.”
“I got to hold her. She let me hold her, which was cool, at least for a little bit before she wanted to go back to Mom,” he added. “But it was awesome seeing her smiling and playing and running around.”
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