By: Gena Johnson | Warren Weekly | Published March 25, 2023
WARREN — Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer held a press conference on March 21 to chronicle the “split-second” decision officers made to rush an infant to the hospital in an attempt to save the child’s life.
Warren officers took the 4-month-old girl to Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital at 12 Mile and Hoover roads on March 18 after the mother called 911 and reported the child was not breathing. The baby ultimately died, despite what Dwyer called his officers’ “heroic” efforts.
The presentation, shared with reporters gathered in Dwyer’s office at police headquarters, included 911 audio and the body cam footage from the officers.
At 9:38 a.m. on March 18, Warren police dispatch received a call from a mother whose baby stopped breathing.
“My baby is not breathing. I need your help,” the mother was heard saying on a 911 recording.
“What you will see here is a heart-wrenching and emotional take of what officers dealt with as they arrived on the scene in an effort to save a child’s life,” said Dwyer.
Warren Police arrived at a residence in the 1900 block of Rome Avenue at 9:40 a.m., one minute and 45 seconds after being dispatched, according to police. On body camera footage, one officer can be seen taking the baby from the mother’s arms and beginning infant CPR. Another officer arrives on the scene, takes the infant, and continues chest compressions while a third officer drives to the hospital.
“On the scene, Warren officers make the split-second decision to transport the infant to the closest hospital, approximately 2.8 miles away,” Dwyer said.
The officer giving chest compression repeatedly spoke to the infant and said, “Come on, baby.” Moments before arriving at the hospital, he said, “She’s still warm.”
Warren police reportedly arrived at the emergency room three minutes and seven seconds after leaving the Rome avenue home.
“The officers never stopped lifesaving measures from the time they arrived on the scene until they got to the hospital,” said Dwyer.