Child was turning blue when officer arrived
Officer Omar Akel (Photo: Long Branch Police Department)
Officer Omar Akel on Friday responded to a call that a 9-month-old girl was choking on something at a Lippincott Avenue address, police said in a statement.
"He dislodged the obstruction and cleared the child's airway," the department said on its Facebook page. "His ability to rapidly assess the situation and take appropriate action allowed him to save the infant's life!"
Akel told The Asbury Park Press the child's skin was turning blue and his parents were emotional when he first arrived. The girl soon started crying and her skin color returned to normal after Akel's care.
The officer joined the police force in January 2015 and has been on patrol since May, the newspaper's report said. Akel served an emergency medical technician becoming an officer.
"We thank you and we're sure the family does too!," the department's Facebook post added.
Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.