A San Pablo police officer is being hailed as a hero for saving a 1-week-old baby from choking.
Surveillance video shows a family scrambling to find help after driving to what they thought was a hospital.
The mother is heard screaming for help and fortunately, San Pablo police officer Brandon Oswald was just around the corner and arrived in seconds. He was first on scene and wasted no time.
“Mom was frantic, she was screaming. She was crying. She was kind of holding baby against her chest,” said Oswald.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Body camera video shows the officer giving the 1-week-old baby girl back blows, dislodging the milk she was choking on until she started crying.
“In this situation, it is the greatest sound I could’ve heard in that moment, because I know when the baby’s crying, the baby’s breathing,” he said.
On Monday, Oswald was honored with the Lifesaving Award at the San Pablo City Council Meeting.
Local
His colleagues say they’re proud.
“Anytime we get these types of calls, incredibly stressful the stakes are really high involving a small child, 1 week old,” said Lieutenant Brian Bubar.
“We’ve been in contact with the mother, the baby’s doing great. She is very thankful for the officer's actions,” said Oswald.
The father of a newborn baby girl himself, Oswald said, it’s the most memorable call for service he’s ever experienced, and wishes the best for baby Zareth Barrera.
“Being a new father. It hit close to home, because I would want first responders in my area to do the exact same thing if I was in that situation with my five-month-old,” said Oswald. “Grow up and have a fantastic life, and love her family. Maybe in the future I’ll cross paths with her again.”
