Arizona deputies save choking 2-week-old baby
In a dramatic rescue, Arizona deputies came to the aid of a choking two-week-old infant after receiving an urgent call from the baby’s distress-stricken parents, officials reported. The incident unfolded when the parents dialed 911 in a panic, seeking immediate help as they navigated a roadway.
The frantic call was made around 3:30 p.m. on November 10, as the couple drove towards Interstate 17 in Yavapai County. Their newborn was having severe breathing difficulties, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies swiftly responded, locating the vehicle and rushing to assist. Body camera footage captures the dramatic moment when officers sprinted towards the car, as the father emerged, cradling the struggling infant.
The father recounted to deputies that he had been performing infant CPR, including back blows and sternum rubs, for about 15 minutes. He mentioned that although he managed to get the baby to cry briefly, the infant’s breathing remained irregular.
One of the deputies promptly took over and administered lifesaving measures to the infant on November 10, 2025, in Yavapai County, Arizona, as confirmed by the sheriff’s office.
A deputy immediately took the baby and began lifesaving care in Yavapai County, Arizona, on Nov. 10, 2025. (Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office)
Video shows a deputy immediately taking the baby and beginning lifesaving care. After small chest compressions, another deputy advised turning the infant over. The deputy then delivered firm back slaps, clearing saliva from the baby’s airway and prompting him to cry.
A deputy performed small chest compressions and firm back slaps to clear saliva from the infant’s airway. (Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office)
For several tense minutes, the baby repeatedly went limp and stopped crying, forcing the deputy to continue stimulation to keep him breathing until firefighters and paramedics from the Mayer Fire Department arrived, the sheriff’s office said.
After the baby began to cry, first responders took the baby to a children’s hospital. (Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office)
The infant was rushed to a hospital in Prescott Valley for oxygen treatment and later transferred to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Authorities later confirmed the baby has fully recovered and is back home.
The infant’s parents later told the sheriff’s office that the child has made a full recovery and is doing well. (Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office)
Sheriff David Rhodes praised the response, calling it every parent’s worst nightmare.
“This is the kind of call every parent dreads. Our deputies’ quick thinking, training, and teamwork made all the difference,” Rhodes said. “We are incredibly relieved that the baby is doing well at home.”
Officials said the incident underscores the importance of CPR training for adults, children and infants, noting that quick action can mean the difference between life and death.
