Texas police officers were reunited Wednesday with the 4-year-old boy they saved from choking last month, and the department released body camera footage of the dramatic rescue.
Austin Police Officers Dalton Schroeder and Jason Wright responded to a call Feb. 16 concerning a choking child at an apartment complex, KUVE-TV reports. Initially, candy was believed to be lodged in the throat of the boy, William Romero, but he apparently had been choking on his saliva, according to WOAI-TV.
“I just I panicked myself to like, ‘Oh my gosh,’” said William's mom, Guadalupe Romero. “And then I start seeing his lips start getting purple, and he's trying to lay down and close his eyes. And I'm like, ‘No, no, no, no, no.’”
Once at the scene, the two officers used an anti-choking LiveVac device to remove any obstructions in the boy's throat. That, along with other efforts, got the boy breathing again, and he high-fived, gave a thumbs-up and hugged an officer.
“The outstanding work done by Officer Schroeder and Officer Wright successfully saved the life of a young child,” the department said in a statement. “APD commends both officers on their swift and effective action.”
