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El Monte officers help save choking boy
Two El Monte Police officers jumped in to save an 8-year-old who wasn't breathing for nearly five minutes after choking on a hard candy.
EL MONTE, Calif. - An 8-year-old boy is recovering just days after El Monte Police officers jumped in to save him from choking
It happened on June 3, just after 8 p.m. Officers responded to a call saying that the boy wasn't breathing. When they got there, they found Ethan Becerra.
"He was laying down on his back, eyes open, not breaking. You know, it was scary," said Officer Raul Vega.
Body camera footage showed Vega picking up the boy and carrying him to his patrol car. His family watched on in horror as officers tried to help him. Ethan wasn't breathing for nearly five minutes.
"He was purple, pale. I freaked out," said mom Vanessa Becerra. "I felt like I was hysterical. We were trying CPR, Compressions, breathing through the mouth. Nothing was working."
Vega's patrol car was equipped with a LifeVac, a tool used to help clear out obstructed airways when someone's choking.
The rubber mouthpiece, as Vega explained, creates a seal over the mouth, and then the user thrusts the handle up and down to try and dislodge the obstruction.
Together with another officer, Vega worked on the tool until paramedics arrived. Video showed Ethan appeared to be breathing just before being taken into an ambulance.
"For sure a miracle, yes," said Vanessa Becerra. "We were really thankful for the officers who are really quick to respond to us."
Ethan told FOX 11 that he remembered waking up in the ambulance, so did officer Vega.
"WHen he woke up and he started crying," Vega said. "You know, that was the best. My partner and I just, we teared up."