SAN FRANCISCO—Twenty-five-year-old off-duty SFPD Recruit Officer Ricky Williams rescued a two-month-old infant baby who stopped breathing on Sunday, December 13, at approximately 4:00 p.m. at Bayfair Mall in San Leandro, stated the San Francisco Police Department.
Recruit Officer Williams was in the parking lot of the mall when he saw a mother crying hysterically with a lifeless baby in her arms and asked if the mother needed any assistance. The mother told him that her infant baby was not breathing and had turned blue, the SFPD mentioned in a press release.
Williams immediately began CPR chest compressions, as the mother performed rescue breathing in the backseat of her vehicle.
With a few cycles of CPR completed, the baby finally started to show signs of life and began crying, according to SFPD. All the while, a friend called 911 and San Leandro Police arrived at the scene along with paramedics, who took the infant into their care. The infant was ultimately transported to Children’s Hospital in Oakland for treatment.
“Recruit Officer Williams’ immediate response is exactly what I expect from our officers and those training to become San Francisco’s finest,” said Police Chief Greg Suhr.
“Recruit Williams applied his training and his prompt action helped save this infant’s life. It is our sworn duty to help people. Clearly we chose wisely in hiring Recruit Officer Williams. His conduct exemplified the best in all of us,” Suhr added.
Recruit Officer Williams told KTVU reporter Heather Holmes that he was at the right place at the right time. “I believe I was suppose to be there at that moment to help the baby,” said Williams. He also told KTVU that he didn’t want to be called a hero and that he was just doing what he was trained to do.
Recruit Officer Williams is a member of the 247th Academy Class and is scheduled to graduate in January 2016.
