NEED TO KNOW
The Fort Worth Police Department said two of its officers, with the help of bystanders, saved the life of a baby girlThe girl was pinned under a car following a vehicle crash on I-30 in Texas on Thursday, Oct. 23In police bodycam footage, the officers could be seen pulling the child from underneath the car and providing CPR until first responders arrived
Texas police are praising the heroic efforts of two officers, who saved a baby who was pinned under a car following a crash.
According to a release from the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD), along with bodycam footage of the high-stakes rescue, Sgt. R. Nichols and Officer E. Bounds were able to rescue the baby from the trapped vehicle with the help of some bystanders.
The FWPD shared in its Oct. 24 statement that the incident happened on Thursday, Oct. 23. The two officers responded to a vehicle crash on I-30 between Eastchase Parkway and Cooks Lane that resulted in a mother and her 1-year-old child being “ejected” from the car.
“The infant was pinned beneath the overturned vehicle and was unresponsive,” police said.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic footage.
In the bodycam footage, an officer could be seen running toward the overturned vehicle and bending down on the grass to see if anyone was still trapped inside the car. After locating the child, the officer could be heard telling bystanders, “[The child’s] right under here.”
“We need to move the car. I think the baby’s under here. Keep moving,” he said as the bystanders continued to help push the vehicle over.
The officer then reached over when the car was lifted to the side by bystanders and pulled the child to safety from underneath the car. He and the other officer turned the child over to check if she was still breathing.
One of the officers, identified as Nichols, started chest compressions on the girl while the other attempted to clear her airways. One of the officers could be heard saying, “She has a pulse. Is she breathing though?”
Nichols kept up chest compressions, as Bounds said, “I think I feel her breath. I feel her breathing.” The infant could be heard making sounds of struggling to breathe as the officers continued CPR. Eventually, the child let out a cry, letting the officers know that she was alright.
Scene of the car crash.
Fort Worth Police Department/Facebook
“Sgt. Nichols immediately began to perform CPR on the unconscious infant, eventually waking the child and keeping her alive until [the] Fort Worth Fire Department arrived on scene,” police said.
At the end of the video, a firefighter could be seen wrapping the child up and carrying her into an ambulance to receive further medical care. Police said that “at this time, the woman and infant are in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The FWPD praised the officers and bystanders for their heroic efforts.
“We are beyond proud of the lifesaving actions performed by Sgt. Nichols and Officer Bounds for their bravery and quick response to this terrible scene,” the department said in their statement. “We are also grateful to the Fort Worth citizens who saw someone in danger and, without hesitation, assisted our officers.”