Massachusetts State Trooper saves life of 8 day old baby

A Massachusetts State Trooper made what may be the greatest save of all.

Wednesday at approximately 5:40 p.m., a 28-year-old Cambridge woman called the State Police-Brighton Barracks to report that her 8-day-old baby boy was not breathing.

The mother and grandmother were traveling in a sport utility vehicle on Soldiers Field Road in Boston, with the grandmother and infant in the back seat, where the grandmother was feeding the infant. When the baby seemed in distress the grandmother told the mother, who pulled into a parking lot.

The location provided to State Police was the International House of Pancakes parking lot and Trooper John Arone, who was patrolling in the immediate area, quickly arrived in the IHOP parking lot and determined that the white SUV he was looking for was not there. He relayed that information back to the barracks and was informed that it was in fact at the McDonald’s parking lot. Trooper Arone quickly responded to that location and located the SUV.

The mother, who was sitting in the driver’s seat with the baby on her lap and the door open, informed Trooper Arone that the baby had stopped breathing and was turning blue. Trooper Arone updated responding EMS.

Trooper Arone, a father of a 4-month-old himself, quickly assessed the situation, confirmed the baby was not breathing, and checked the infant’s airway. The Trooper did not see anything blocking the airway. Then he loosened the baby’s swaddling and gave the infant a pat on the back. This caused the baby to give a great, big belch and to release an air bubble and a large amount of saliva and formula. The baby boy began to breathe again and started crying, which surely was the best sound everyone present will hear for a long time.

The baby was brought into the McDonald’s to keep him warm. Boston EMS arrived and checked all the baby’s vital signs. The child and mother were then both transported to Children’s Hospital to be evaluated. No further information will be released tonight.