Two NYPD officers are being praised for saving an unconscious baby in Brooklyn. According to abc7NY, Officers Zihan Liu and Jeshua Hernandez responded to a call on 43rd Street in Sunset Park, where they found a 22-day-old infant girl choking on milk and turning purple. The officers quickly took action to help.
"When I got the baby in my hand, the baby is not soft any more, you know, a baby is soft, little baby, I said oh no, this is not good," Officer Liu told abc7NY. Hernandez assisted by talking to the family in Mandarin, which helped them quickly assess the situation and take necessary steps.
Bodycam footage from the New York Police Department showed the intense moments as the officers worked to save the child's life.
No day on patrol is ever the same. Last Friday, officers in the @nypd72pct received a call for an unconscious 22-day-old infant. When they arrived, officers promptly took the child and performed back slaps to clear a blockage, allowing the infant to regain consciousness. pic.twitter.com/2xMtl9g4xU
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) January 1, 2025
The training Liu received at the academy proved crucial. He recalled the CPR and first aid techniques learned on a dummy designed to simulate a real baby. "I kept thinking, what if this doesn’t work, what if this doesn’t work. I thought, what if I don’t do this right, what if I don’t do this right. I was nervous," Liu told WhatsNew2Day. Despite his nerves, his repeated back slaps dislodged the blockage, allowing the baby to breathe again.
The scene continued until emergency medical technicians arrived, at which point the officers were hesitant to hand over the baby. "I took this job, just because I love to help people, I speak the language, so why not join the force and help Chinese people in need," Liu explained to abc7NY. After the EMTs took over, the baby was taken to the hospital for further care.
The actions of Officers Liu and Hernandez were recognized by Assistant Chief Charles McEvoy, who commended their courage, professionalism, and dedication. "Their courage, professionalism and dedication to the community are truly commendable," he wrote. Hernandez shared his relief, stating, "I was so happy to be there. If we hadn’t been there, something worse could have happened," in a WhatsNew2Day report.
