Quick action taken by rookie Bronx NYPD officers saves choking toddler
Police Officers Freddy Cerpa and Megan Ficken administered back slaps, which saved the child's life.
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A routine radio call turned into a lifesaving rescue for two rookie Bronx police officers who used their academy training to save a choking toddler.
Officers Megan Ficken and Freddy Cerpa, each with less than a year on the force, responded to a call on Jan. 16 that brought them to a Soundview apartment building, where a 2-year-old boy was unconscious and not breathing.
"When we arrived, the baby was on the ground, unconscious, eyes closed," Ficken said.
Body cam video shows the officers sprinting to a sixth-floor apartment. Once inside, both officers immediately relied on their training, performing back pats and airway checks in an effort to clear the child's airway.
Body camera footage captured the moment the toddler began breathing again.
"He's breathing. He's breathing. He's OK," one officer can be heard saying on the video.
"I felt that when the baby took that breath, I was also taking a breath," Ficken said.
The child's cry confirmed the rescue had worked — a sound the officers said they will never forget.
Cerpa said their response was driven by repetition and preparation from the police academy.
"They have the models that allow you to practice, and they're battery-powered," Cerpa said. "When you're doing it right, there's a green light, and when you're doing it wrong, it's a red light."
For Cerpa, it was the second choking rescue in just over a month. In early December, while off duty at his Long Island home, a neighbor ran to him for help when her young daughter began choking. Cerpa again used back pats and airway checks to restore the child's breathing.
"To be honest, my first reaction was, 'Oh no, not another one,'" Cerpa said. "But that went away quickly, and I was like, 'All right, let's get to work.'"
Both officers credited their academy instructors for preparing them to stay calm during emergencies.
"I think without that training, I would have panicked," Ficken said. "I would've been flustered."
The officers said moments like these highlight how police work extends beyond fighting crime and encouraged the public to seek first aid and CPR training, especially those who care for young children.
