Baby Stops Breathing In Traffic On Highway, Woman Gives CPR, Saves Baby’s Life?
When a baby stopped breathing in the middle of traffic on a Miami highway, a woman started CPR immediately, which ended up saving the baby’s life.
It was a close call and the desperation in the child’s aunt was evident as a news reporter became part of the story. According to a video posted on YouTube, Miami Herald reporter Al Diaz was cruising along the interstate when the incident took place.
Like any journalist, Diaz is always ready to jump into action when he sees trouble, but in this case, it was obviously a case of life and death for this baby, who had apparently stopped breathing while inside the car. The driver stopped her car in the middle of traffic and desperately screamed for help as she held the child in her arms.
The baby was turning blue. Diaz and other motorists driving along the Dolphin Expressway didn’t think twice about coming to the frantic woman’s aid. After stopping their cars, they rushed to help.
“A woman pops out of the car and starts screaming ‘My baby can’t breathe, My baby can’t breathe. Call 911!’ So I got out of my car and ran over to help her,” Diaz told CBS Local.
Even though Diaz was at the right place at the right time to capture the dramatic moments as a journalist, he was very concerned about the safety of the baby, who was unresponsive, and the frantic aunt, who was trying to save the child. Another woman, identified as Lucila Godoy by the CBS Miami affiliate, also rushed to the scene and started giving the 5-month-old baby CPR while her own child waited in her car.
According to Diaz, the woman knew exactly what to do, turning the baby on his side to help him breathe again; the fast thinking actions ultimately saved the baby’s life. However, she doesn’t see herself as a hero.
“I think I just did whatever any person would do,” Godoy said.
Sweetwater Police Officer Amauris Bastidas is also credited with helping the baby breathe again, as he saw the woman sitting on the floor.
“There was a female crying on the floor. At that time I didn’t realize she had a baby. The baby was lying on her lap. She told me, ‘Help me, please help me. The baby’s not responding.’ The baby was pale, blue in color.”
Diaz, a veteran reporter, said that he has seen a lot of dramatic scenes in his life, but he has never witnessed something like this. Thanks to the quick thinking of the baby’s aunt and the help of Good Samaritans, the child survived and was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Diaz was awarded the NPPA’s Humanitarian Award for his actions that day.
It is unclear why the baby stopped breathing in the first place, but according to CBS Miami, the child was premature and has respiratory issues.
[Image via Al Diaz / Miami Herald]
