Fla. Trooper aids 1-year-old choking alongside highway
MIAMI FL November 1 2021— A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was captured on camera helping a choking toddler on Interstate 95 in Miami earlier this month.
The recently released dashcam video shows Trooper Reginald Mathieu arriving to a terrifying scene along I-95’s southbound lanes: Three cars pulled over on the side of the interstate, several people surrounding a family on the ground — in their arms was a 1-year-old girl.
The toddler’s mother — who did not want to use her name to protect her family — said the girl was already crying when the trooper arrived. A good Samaritan had stopped to help the child, using a “LifeVac” anti-choking device — which dislodged the unknown item from her throat.
“We are very grateful for the trooper, but we really want to spread awareness about LifeVac and how important it is for people to have,” she said.
Mathieu checked the girl once he arrived and then paramedics checked her vitals.
Mathieu was responding to a crash in the area of Southwest Seventh Street when he was flagged down by the toddler’s parents, according to FHP. It’s not clear how long the girl was unresponsive or what she choked on.
FHP posted a video of the incident via Twitter on Sunday — garnering more than 3,500 views, with people thanking the trooper and calling him a #Hero.
Miami Herald
