LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – A dashcam caught the moment when officers saved a 6-month-old baby who was choking on a cherry in a car along Highway 101 in Los Angeles’ Woodland Hills neighborhood, officials said Monday.
California Highway Patrol officers got a call about the choking baby and quickly found the car on the right shoulder of the freeway.
One of the officers, who is a licensed paramedic, picked up the child and slapped his back until the cherry dislodged from his airway and the infant began breathing normally.
The officer then stayed with the family to monitor the child and keep them calm until an ambulance arrived. The baby was taken to a hospital for evaluation and is expected to be OK, officials said.
“CHP officers come from many different backgrounds, different walks of life and have unique skillsets,” the agency said on Instagram. “CHP officers receive annual Emergency Medical Response training to ensure they’re prepared to assist with medical emergencies in the field.”
CHP warned that cherries are a choking hazard for children this young.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists the following foods as choking hazards for children between 6 to 12 months old: uncut grapes, berries, cherries, cherry tomatoes and melon balls, raisins, whole pieces of canned fruit, cooked or raw whole corn kernels, whole or chopped nuts and other foods.