A potential speeding ticket turned into a life-saving operation when Sheriff’s Deputy William Kimbro stopped a new mother driving in Berkeley County, South Carolina.
The driver’s baby girl, just 12 days old, had stopped breathing. Her mother and grandmother, frantic with worry, were on their way to the hospital. But Kimbro, realizing there was no time to be lost, kicked into action and performed the emergency first-aid that saved the baby’s life.
The baby’s mother told Kimbro that her daughter, Ryleigh, had started to choke some time after a feed and was struggling to breathe. The infant was limp in her mother’s arms.
The deputy takes the tiny girl from her mother and immediately begins looking for her vital signs. As he feels for Ryleigh’s pulse and stimulates her chest and mouth trying to get her to breathe, the baby gasps intermittently.
After a few panicked seconds, Ryleigh lets out a brief wail and Kimbro responds. “As long as she’s crying like that, she’s breathing,” the deputy assures the baby’s mom.
Ryleigh’s breathing is worryingly intermittent. Kimbro attempts to open the child’s airway by lifting her neck and inserting his finger in her mouth. Feeling for a pulse, he begins to massage Ryleigh’s chest with gentle clockwise circles and regular patting motions.
“Her lips are a little blue, I’m worried about her circulation,” Kimbro tells his fellow deputy as his bodycam footage records. The infant can be seen making small movements and the occasional wail, but her breathing distress is plain to see.
As the terrified mother calls family members to keep them updated, the deputy works on the baby as she lies in her mother’s lap. After massaging the baby girl’s chest for several minutes, Kimbro reassures Ryleigh’s mom that he can feel a strong heartbeat.
Ambulance sirens grow louder, and the baby’s chest can be seen gently rising and falling; she’s breathing on her own.
Another emergency vehicle pulls up, and EMS technicians arrive to take over. Kimbro’s partner steps forward to give his fellow deputy a pat on the shoulder, saying, “You did good.”
The deputy’s bodycam footage comes to an end.
Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office shared Kimbro’s footage online, praising the dedicated deputy for his life-saving instincts and ultimate success in saving baby Ryleigh. But that wasn’t all; they also honored their deputy with a ceremony to mark his brave deed and awarded him with a Life-Saving Medal.
“Deputy Kimbro performed life-saving first-aid to 12-day-old Ryleigh after she stopped breathing,” the department added. “Deputy Kimbro worked on the child for nearly seven minutes until Berkeley County EMS arrived on scene.”
On Aug. 12, when the ceremony took place, baby Ryleigh was almost 3 months old. Now a picture of health, the baby girl was photographed in her mother’s arms standing beside Kimbro and county council members.
“Coverage on the story has been viewed around the world,” the department added, “with viewers deeming Kimbro a hero.”
The department then declared their pride in having Kimbro as a member of their team and their gratitude for baby Ryleigh’s swift recovery.
Comments from proud and grateful social media users soon followed suit. “Officer you’re amazing!” wrote one. “Thank you for saving this sweet baby’s life.”
“Hoping Deputy Kimbro and little Ms Ryleigh have many more reunions together,” contributed another.
“What a difficult call to arrive on scene with,” one user reflected, adding, “Nice job Deputy Kimbro on your actions and the amazing outcome that you were a part of!”
“It was God that was working, not me,” Kimbro added. “This was all God, man. He put me in the right place at the right time, and he works his miracles.”
The Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office took the opportunity to remind their community that Kimbro’s brave, life-saving actions were representative of the entire department’s philosophy. “When we wear the uniform and badge, we become what someone needs at that moment,” they said.
Kimbro told WCIV that he plans on checking in with baby Ryleigh and her family on a regular basis.
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