Michigan Police Officer Performs Back Thrusts on 3-Week-Old Choking Baby, Saves Her Life

Michigan Police Officer Performs Back Thrusts on 3-Week-Old Choking Baby, Saves Her Life
(Courtesy of Sterling Heights Police Department)
7/16/2020
Updated:
7/16/2020

An officer is being hailed a hero after he quickly saved a 3-week-old baby who was struggling to breath.

The Sterling Heights Police Department in Michigan posted the dashcam video of the heroic act on its Facebook page Monday.

Officer Cameron Maciejewski is seen rushing to a call concerning a 3-week-old baby who isn’t breathing on July 9. He is bombarded by the family when he arrives at their home, and the mother is frantic. Maciejewski calmly assures her and the rest of the family before asking for the baby girl.

He checks for signs of life before realizing something is caught in her airway. He turns her over as the baby’s mother hovers over him and performs a few back thrusts before the child starts to cry.

Officer Cameron Maciejewski noticed the baby's airway was blocked and performed back thrusts to save her life. (Courtesy of Sterling Heights Police Department)
Officer Cameron Maciejewski noticed the baby's airway was blocked and performed back thrusts to save her life. (Courtesy of Sterling Heights Police Department)

The officer assures the family that the baby is okay as the mother falls to the ground in relief.

The baby was then turned over to the Sterling Heights Fire Department so the child could be taken to the hospital for evaluation.

“If it wasn’t for Officer Maciejewski’s quick, calm, lifesaving actions, the outcome of this incident could have been tragically different,” the police department said. “Not only did the officer save the baby, but the officer did an outstanding job consoling the family.”

Maciejewski attributes his quick thinking and ability to stay calm to his training.

“If I start freaking or if I can’t handle myself or handle my cool it just escalates everything for the family,” he said in an interview posted on the department’s social media.
CNN Wire contributed to this report.
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