CAMPO, California — Almost three years ago a CHP officer was in the right place at the right time and saved the life of a baby who was unresponsive.
This happened near Campo in 2021 when the Loya family says their 11-month-old son Vincent went unconscious.
Today the officer who revived the baby was reunited with him for Vincent's first day of preschool at Campo Elementary School.
Officer Edward Ketchum says in November 2021, he pulled over on the side of Buckman Springs Road near Oak Drive.
“I had to make a business call to a coworker, so I pulled over to the shoulder of the road,” said Ketchum.
While on the phone, Ketchum says a SUV pulled up in front of his patrol car with frantic parents holding a lifeless infant.
“Things happened so fast. I didn’t even get a chance to put out radio traffic to respond to paramedics,” said Ketchum.
He used his CPR training and put the baby upside down and administered three back blows.
“Oh, my goodness, the baby started crying. It was such a wonderful sound to hear, and as strange as that that may sound,” said Ketchum.
Vincent’s mother, Rebeca, still cries thinking about that precious sound. Three years later and it’s still difficult to imagine what would have happened if Ketchum wasn’t there.
“I think it’s just every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Rebeca Loya.
The nightmare started about ten minutes before they saw the officer.
“He held his breath and stopped breathing. He turned purple, blue on us,” said Larry Loya.
The Loya’s say Vincent held his breath and lost conscientiousness which they later learned is what some young children do during tantrums.
The parents called 911 and took off.
“We panicked. We had just moved out here, so we didn’t know what to do,” said Larry.
The parents didn’t know the Cal Fire in Lake Morena was open, instead they were headed to US National Forestry station on Buckman Springs Road, they didn't know it closed because it was the off season.
“If he [Ketchum] wasn’t there, we don’t know what we would, you know, we would have gone to the wrong station,” said Rebeca.
Whether it was divine intervention, “Why did I decide to make that business call right there?” said Ketchum.
Vincent had a guardian angel that day. Larry says he is a savior and a hero.
“I call myself a public servant,” said Ketchum. “Heroes and angels, only the parents can use that word, nobody else can.”
The heroic decisions made that day by Vincent’s parents and Officer Ketchum is many reasons why the preschooler is able to reach another milestone.
CHP says Calfire 42 and Mercy Medic 47 responded to the scene. Mercy Medic 47 transported the infant to Rady’s Children Hospital for further evaluation. The infant survived and fully recovered from the incident.
CHP wants to remind the public to get CPR training or refresh their training.
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