A sheriff’s deputy pulling over an erratic driver had no idea how much his assistance was needed.
Deputy Sheriff Patrick Ficke of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office was conducting a traffic stop on I-25. The driver pulled over and jumped out of the car, prompting Ficke to run over. There, he saw that the driver’s 1-year-old was turning purple. It turns out the little girl was choking on a Cheeto.
Ficke quickly called for an ambulance and checked the child’s airway. He found it obstructed. He started doing the Heimlich maneuver for infants to try to clear it.
Thankfully, Ficke performed the maneuver correctly and was able to clear her throat. “After about 45 seconds to a minute of giving the Heimlich, the Cheeto she was choking on came out and she started crying where I turned her back up and just tried to comfort her,” he shared.
Today, the little girl is doing great. The family is very thankful that the sheriff’s deputy was there to save her.
