Girl's actions save mom's life

Dec. 5, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

PALMER -A 7-year-old Palmer girl saved her mother's life last month, and recently received an award from the Palmer police for her heroic actions.

In the girl's second-grade classroom at Swanson Elementary School on Nov. 21, Mayor John Combs and Palmer police officers surprised the girl with a life-saving award. Respecting the family's request, the school and police are protecting the girl's identity, according to a report by Lt. Thomas Remaley.

On Nov. 6, the child had stayed home from school because she was sick, the report said. Just past noon, as she was loading a tape into the video cassette player, the mother began choking and collapsed, the report said.

Reacting quickly, the second-grader ran to a neighbor's house, and the neighbor called 911. Officers Jason Crockett and James Gipson responded to the call.

&#8220We got there within seconds of each other,” Crockett said. &#8220We found her upstairs in the living room not breathing and not responsive.”

The neighbor was there ahead of them, Crockett said, giving CPR to the mother. She had sent the girl, a younger sibling, and her own child downstairs, he said.

As Officer Gipson hooked up the Automated External Defibrillator, Crockett took over CPR, Crockett said.

&#8220At first she had a steady pulse, but toward the end it started to fade,” he said. &#8220The airway wasn't clear.”

Gipson performed the Heimlich maneuver as the woman lay on her back, and partially dislodged the object, he said.

Police continued CPR until medics arrived.

&#8220We continued breathing while they set up for full-blown CPR,” Crockett said. &#8220Then they rolled her on her side and the object came out.”

The woman started breathing on her own then, and she was talking and fairly alert as the medics readied her for transport, he said.

If the little girl hadn't reacted so quickly, her mother probably would not have survived, Remaley said.

About 15 minutes passed from the 911 call until medics arrived, Crockett said.

&#8220She saw her mom collapse on the floor, ran to a neighbor's house a half-block away, and said, ‘There's something wrong with my mommy,'” he said.

The child accepted her award, a letter from Chief George Boatright and a plaque, with her mom by her side.

&#8220I think she was pleased and a little bit overwhelmed,” he said about the young hero.