Recent life-saving actions of deputies save two different 3-year-olds

Two Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputies are being hailed as heroes after two separate recent incidents involving different 3-year-old’s, who – without the deputies’ intervention – might not be with their families to celebrate their fourth birthdays.

One of the potentially deadly incidents happened in Eastvale, the other in Los Angeles. Both ended with children saved from the brink of death and parents who will be eternally grateful for the deputies who came into their children’s lives at just the right moment.

The first life-saving incident happened on a sunny June day when Deputy Christopher Johnson was dispatched to a call from a frantic parent reporting the drowning of a 3-year-old girl.

It was a call that most emergency first responders never want to get and that few could ever soon forget.

The near-drowning incident happened just over two months ago, Thursday, June 1, at a private residence in the city of Eastvale.

Luckily for the young girl, who has not been identified publicly, the 911 call brought Johnson, who performed CPR on the toddler, providing her with the breath of life needed to not only survive her near-drowning experience, but to make a full recovery as well.

Arriving just three minutes after the call was dispatched, Johnson ran towards the pool area located in the backyard of the residence.

As he neared the pool, the deputy spotted a distraught woman next to the family’s pool. She was crumpled on the ground, cradling her daughter’s lifeless body in her arms.

Johnson quickly evaluated the girl who was unresponsive, not breathing and showed no signs of life.

Wasting no time, Johnson knew exactly what he needed to do and he immediately began CPR on the little girl.

After clearing the girl’s airway, Johnson started performing rescue breathing on the unconscious victim. “After providing the third breath, the girl exhaled water from her lungs and began breathing on her own,” sheriff’s officials wrote in a recent social media release.

After the young victim regained consciousness, the relieved deputy monitored her breathing and vital signs until Cal Fire/Riverside County Firefighters arrived several minutes later.

Paramedics eventually transported the victim to an area hospital for further evaluation and treatment. She has since made a full recovery, according to officials, who took the opportunity to commend the life-saving efforts of the quick-acting deputy.

The second incident happened Saturday, July 15, when off-duty Deputy Robert Carrasco was eating with his family at a Los Angeles County-area restaurant.

As he was enjoying a family night out, Carrasco spotted 3-year-old Nathan Lopez choking at a nearby table.

Carrasco immediately took action and assessed Lopez’ situation.

As the toddler’s face began to turn blue from lack of oxygen and the boy struggled frantically for air, Carrasco realized the tot was choking on a piece of candy that was lodged in his throat.

The off-duty deputy began by giving the child a series of back blows to dislodge the piece of candy, then made several attempts to remove the obstruction.

As Nathan’s parents watched on helplessly – terrified their child might die in front of their eyes – Carrasco successfully managed to remove the hard candy from Nathan’s throat, at which time the child began to regain normal color and was able to breathe again.

Nathan’s mother Jackie later said she and her husband had no doubt that Carrasco saved her son’s life and were it not for the deputy’s quick thinking actions and immediate intervention, Nathan could have died at the restaurant.

After the two life-saving and life-changing events, sheriff’s officials lauded the two men, saying, “We are so proud of our deputies! Thank you for the work you do!”

Please join RCNS in commending Deputies Christopher Johnson and Robert Carrasco for their quick responses and life saving measures.

 

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Trevor Montgomery runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook and also writes for Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg and breaking his back in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.