Several good Samaritans, including a doctor and an off-duty Bergen County sheriff’s police sergeant, helped revive a 5-year-girl who had an apparent seizure and stopped breathing while in a vehicle with her parents on Route 4, authorities said.
The girl was revived and later reported in stable condition, according to the sheriff’s office. Her parents, who were visiting New Jersey from Kentucky, offered thanks to all involved.
The near-tragedy unfolded around 6 p.m. on Sept. 21 on westbound Route 4 in Paramus near the entrance ramp to Route 17 South, which is among the most heavily traveled locations in New Jersey.
Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Walter Hutchinson was driving with his family when he saw a vehicle parked on the highway shoulder. A woman was standing outside and calling for help, said a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office.
Upon reaching the parked vehicle, Hutchinson found the girl was unresponsive, not breathing and her father was performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the spokesperson said.
Soon after Hutchinson began assisting with chest compressions, a doctor and his wife — who were traveling on Route 4 and pulled over — began helping. The girl resuming breathing, the spokesperson said.
Others passing by on Route 4 also pulled over to assist the family, alongside Paramus police officers, until emergency services arrived. The doctor who stopped to help determined the girl was showing signs of a possible seizure, the spokesperson said.
The girl was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center and was later reported to be in stable condition.
The names of the doctor who stopped to help and the others who assisted were not included in the statement released Monday by the sheriff’s office.
The Paramus police department did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment.
The girl’s parents have not been publicly identified, but the family reached out to police to express their appreciation.
The mother and father “expressed their gratitude to all those involved in saving their child’s life, and reached out to thank the officer and other good Samaritans who stopped to help during this critical moment,” the sheriff’s office said.
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