Routine Traffic Stop Turns into Miracle Rescue When Cop Saves Life of Breathless 12-Day-Old Baby
Police officers have heard every excuse in the book as to why a driver chose to break speed limit laws, but every now and again, a driver has a very good reason for racing down the road with no concern for safe speeds.
When deputy Will Kimbro pulled over a driver for speeding in Berkeley County, South Carolina, he quickly realized why the driver had been in such a hurry.
A baby girl, just 12 days old, was not breathing.
Her panicked mother told Kimbro that her baby, Riley, had finished a bottle and now was struggling to breathe. They had been trying to reach the hospital, she explained, nodding toward Riley, who was limp in her arms.
When Deputy Will Kimbro stopped a car for speeding last month, he didn’t know he would end up saving a newborn’s life. https://t.co/Wi8R3TXSUS
— KTLA 5 Morning News (@KTLAMorningNews) July 12, 2019
Kimbro immediately went into action, taking Riley into his arms and keeping her alive until first responders arrived.
“Let me have the baby,” Kimbro can be heard saying from his body-camera video footage.
Kimbro began to check the infant for a pulse and massaged her chest to encourage the baby to breathe.
“Come on baby, cry for me, cry for me,” Kimbro coaxed. “Open those eyes, sweetheart.”
Riley let out a feeble cry, but still appeared too weak to move, and fell silent again.
“As long as she’s crying like that she’s breathing,” Kimbro told the mother, as he positioned Riley on her lap.
But Kimbro was still worried about the baby’s condition, concerned that she was unable to maintain strong, steady breaths.
“Her lips are a little blue, I’m worried about her circulation,” Kimbro said.
Kimbro continued to work to keep the baby awake, making sure nothing was in her mouth and repeatedly massaging her chest.
After several tense minutes, the baby appeared to return to a normal state of breathing, her chest moving rhythmically up and down.
“I didn’t feel a heartbeat earlier so I started massaging her heart and now I feel it’s real strong now,” Kimbro told Riley’s mother.
Once emergency responders arrived, they took Riley to a hospital, where she was doing well, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office reported on Facebook.
Kimbro was awarded a “Life-Saving Medal” from the sheriff’s office for his actions.
“Because of Deputy Kimbro’s steadfast, professional and heroic response, the 12-day old baby was able to live. Please join us in congratulating Deputy Kimbro for his gallant actions that prolonged human life,” the BCSO wrote.
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