Three Philadelphia police officers are being praised for their quick actions that helped save the life of a 10-month-old child who stopped breathing in August.
The incident happened Aug. 20 when officers responded to a call from a father in the city's Kensington neighborhood, WPVI-TV reports. When they reached the home, the father met officers at the door, holding a child, who was limp, unresponsive and discolored.
In body camera footage from the call, the officers immediately took the child and jumped into their cruiser. While an officer drove to a hospital ER, one officer began performing chest compressions as another officer administered rescue breaths with a CPR mask.
The child regained consciousness twice during the ride. Officer Liam Herron, one of the officers in the backseat with the child, called performing CPR without seat belts "nerve-wracking."
It took less than three minutes for the officers to reach the hospital. Doctors credit their actions with improving the child's chances of survival.
"I have a 4-year-old son at home, as well," said Herron. "If this were my son, my niece, my nephew … I just really wanted a great outcome for the child."
The child has since recovered, and it's not known why the child became unresponsive. The incident is under investigation.
"It makes me feel amazing," said Herron about the rescue. "This is everything I signed up for."
