Humboldt County Sheriff's detective saves infant from choking

EUREKA, Calif. - Body camera footage from April 13 shows Humboldt County Sheriff’s Det. Nick Carnahan saving a 4-month-old girl’s life by quickly administering CPR. 

Carnahan and a deputy were on special assignment in Eureka that day when they received a call about a choking infant.

The video, shared by the sheriff's office with the baby's parents’ permission, shows Carnahan tapping on the back of the infant and, at times, blowing air into her mouth and nose in the family's kitchen. 

The baby’s face has a purple tint to it until she finally starts to cry after nearly a minute of the detective’s efforts. 

"It was later determined that the infant had aspirated and that Det. Carnahan’s quick actions saved the infant’s life," the HCSO said in a press release. 

Choking is one of the leading causes of death and injury for children, resulting in nearly one child dying every five days. 

Stanford Medical Children’s Health recommends several actions to take if your child is choking. The recommendations vary depending on the child's age. For babies under a year old, the first step is to call 911 before placing the child face down on your forearm and using the heel of your other hand to "give the child five quick, forceful blows between the shoulder blades."