Police save choking baby on A19.
Two officers have been praised for helping a baby who was choking in the back of a car on Tuesday afternoon (27th November).
PC Neil Cooper and PC Jonathan Burniston were responding to what they believed was a broken down vehicle, however, when they pulled over to help they were confronted with a woman in distress whose little boy who had taken ill in the back of the car.
15-month-old Samuel Short had begun to choke after a severe coughing episode made him sick as his mum, Charlotte, drove along the busy A19.
She was forced to pull over on the grass verge and rang 999 as she tried to help her little boy.
The officers arrived on the scene within minutes and immediately put their first aid training to full use.
PC Neil Cooper said: “We responded to a report of a broken down car, however, we were faced with a child in need of urgent medical help. Samuel had begun to choke after being sick in the back of the car and his mum was extremely distressed, as any parent would be.
“Once we were sure that Samuel’s airway was clear we made our way to hospital and took oxygen with us in case he needed it. I travelled in the car with them to hospital to ensure that he was OK. As a police officer you come across all manner of incidents but yesterday we encountered every parent’s nightmare. I’m really pleased that we could be of assistance and that Samuel is now making a full recovery.”
Samuel’s mum, 30-year-old Charlotte Edmonds, from Thornaby, said: “I was driving along the A19 with Samuel when he started vomiting and choking so I pulled over on to the grass verge. I picked him up and he was floppy so I immediately rang 999.
“The officers came out of nowhere and helped my little boy. One of them sat in the car with us and escorted us to hospital. They even parked my car for me whilst I went inside with Samuel and then they came in to check on us. If it wasn’t for them I don’t know what I would have done. They were amazing.”
Samuel has now been visited by the officers at home and he is making a full recovery