Massachusetts

Mother ‘So Thankful' Brockton Police Chief Saved Her 3-Month-Old Daughter

When Juliette Leger's young daughter, Audrey, was struggling to breathe, Brockton Police Chief Manny Gomes was in the area and responded to the 911 call, saving the infant

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A baby girl is safe after having trouble breathing thanks to a Massachusetts police chief.

Brockton Police Chief Manny Gomes and new mom Juliette Leger embraced outside of the hospital Thursday. It was the first time they saw each other after Gomes saved Leger's 3-month-old daughter, Audrey, that morning.

Audrey was choking on her own mucus.

"She couldn't breathe. She just had mucus coming out of her mouth her nose," Leger said.

Leger says she was getting ready for work at the time. Her mom was watching Audrey. They called 911.

"My mom was like, 'Let's put some cold water on her face, some cold water,' that didn't work," Leger said. "By that time, I told my mom, 'Do you need me to call 911?' and as soon as my mom said yes, that's when I knew it was a big issue."

Gomes was in the area when he heard the call on the radio. Audrey was limp and unconscious.

"Everyone in the city was mobilizing that way, but I happened to be the first, and I'm just happy it happened that way," Gomes said.

Gomes grabbed Audrey and started hitting her on the back and pulled out the mucous from her mouth until she could breathe again.

Audrey was taken to Brockton Hospital, where she was back to eating and playing.

This is the second baby Gomes has saved in his career.

"After we swept that out of her mouth, she was just about as scared as I was," he said.

Leger says she's just so thankful that the chief got there so fast, when every second was critical.

"I don't know of any more urgent call than that, and when I say 'Mobilizes the entire city,' everyone is going," Gomes said.

"I'm so thankful I have my baby girl, because I could have been leaving this hospital without her, so I'm very very thankful," Leger said.

Audrey will most likely be released from Brockton Hospital Friday morning.

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