NYPD Officer Saves Choking Baby Before Christmas

A terrifying moment in a Long Island neighborhood turned into a Christmas miracle thanks to the quick thinking and training of an off-duty police officer.

In Elmont, New York, a frantic mother ran to her neighbor for help after her one-year-old daughter began choking and stopped breathing. That neighbor happened to be New York City Police Department officer Freddy Cerpa, who had graduated from the police academy just seven months earlier.

A Race Against Time
Surveillance video captured the desperate scene as the child’s mother arrived with the baby limp in her arms. The infant had been suffering from a cold and was choking on mucus, unable to breathe. With every second counting, Cerpa immediately took the baby and began performing back slaps — the technique used to clear an infant’s airway.

After checking for obstructions and continuing the life-saving maneuvers, Cerpa felt the child’s chest begin to rise and fall again — a sign she was breathing on her own.

Training Put to the Test
Cerpa said his actions were instinctive, shaped by recent academy training that included infant choking response, back slaps, and emergency life-saving techniques. Although he never expected to use those skills so soon, they made all the difference.

Paramedics arrived shortly after and transported the baby to the hospital, where she was treated and later released.

Why Knowing First Aid Matters
Experts say this type of emergency is more common than many parents realize. According to American Red Cross, choking is one of the leading causes of death among infants and young children.

For babies under one year old, the Red Cross recommends a combination of back blows and chest thrusts. For older children, abdominal thrusts are used, with modifications based on size and age.

A Reminder of Service and Gratitude
Cerpa emphasized that calling 911 is always the first step in an emergency, but empowering parents and caregivers with basic first-aid training can save lives in those critical moments before help arrives.

“Our mission is to preserve life,” he said. “And I’m just grateful I was there when they needed help.”

Just days before Christmas, one family received the gift that matters most — their child’s life.