Austin Officers Hailed as Heroes for Saving Choking Child at East Austin Apartment

Two Austin police officers' fast actions are in the spotlight after saving a 4-year-old boy from a potentially fatal choking incident in East Austin. Officers Dalton Schroeder and Jason Wright raced to the Menlo at Mueller Apartments on an urgent welfare check call on the afternoon of February 16, as reported by KXAN. Relatives at the scene informed the officers, who found the young boy, William Martinez Romero, struggling to breathe.

Initially thought to be choking on candy, it was later established by doctors that the child had choked on his own saliva. Schroeder, who had the foresight to purchase an anti-choking device for such emergencies, quickly put it to use. Officer Wright, by delivering back blows aimed to dislodge the blockage, worked in tandem with Schroeder. The body camera footage from the incident, released by the Austin Police Department, captured the tense moments leading up to the successful rescue.

With the child's life hanging in the balance, the officers' training kicked in and their decisive action garnered them praise from the department. "The outstanding work done by Officer Schroeder and Officer Wright successfully saved the life of a young child," APD noted in a statement, emphasizing the lifesaving impact of the officers' swift response. This sentiment was echoed in coverage by CBS Austin.

During a press conference, the boy's mother, Guadalupe Romero, expressed her thankfulness. "It makes me sad and thankful with these two officers that got there really fast and that my son is still with me," she said. The community and the boy's family singled out the officers for their heroics, recognizing them not just as law enforcers, but as life savers at a moment when seconds counted the most. APD affirmed the officers' deeds in their statement, commending again "both officers on their swift and effective action."