Greeley Police Officer Saves Choking Baby
GREELEY, Colo. (CBS4) -- A Greeley police officer helped save a 3-week-old baby who was choking and not breathing. He said it's all part of the job.
"The infant was not breathing and had started to become very pale in color," the police department posted on Facebook.
"They are knelt over a blanket and as I get up there I can see the baby," he said.
Until that call came in, Brauch says he had never been around a newborn baby.
"No, I do not have any kids of my own, that is the smallest baby I have ever held," he said.
Once on scene he picked up the infant, 3-week-old Charlie, rolled her onto her stomach and began giving her some back blows.
That dislodged the fluid she was choking on and the infant began to breathe again.
"She kind of gasped and her eyes opened and she did the kind of weird baby stretch thing that they do and her hands started opening and closing," he said thinking back.
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A moment met with relief and later Joy from Charlie's family for Brauch's quick thinking.
"That was definitely a first for my career, when someone has asked me if they could give me a hug," he said.
His actions have thrust him into the spotlight and like most heroes he's weary of the title, saying it's simply what he signed up to do.
"It's just us doing our job and I work with a great group of guys and gals and they would have done the same thing," he said.
Paramedics took the baby to North Colorado Medical Center as a precaution and to monitor her overnight. She is with family and expected to make a full recovery.
"Great work Officer Brauch, you make us proud!" the Greeley Police Department posted on its Facebook page.
Karen Morfitt joined the CBS4 team as a reporter in 2013. She covers a variety of stories in and around the Denver metro area. Connect with her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @karenmorfitt or email her tips.
