By Police1 Staff
NEWARK, N.J. — Two New Jersey officers are being praised after video captured them saving the life of a drowning toddler.
On Sunday, Newark Officers Malikul Aziz and Shaquille Johnson responded to a call about a child not breathing after being in a family pool, ABC News reported. Body cam footage shows Aziz and Johnson arriving at the scene and flipping the 2-year-old girl on her stomach.
The officers can be seen giving the girl back blows, clearing her airway as she throws up previously ingested food and water, according to NJ.com. The toddler then starts breathing again and cries.
The young girl was taken to a hospital where she was treated and released. It’s not known how the child submerged in water or if she was alone in the pool.
“They treated the baby like it was their own daughter and I’m really really thankful for that,” the girl’s father, Omar Zamora, said.
Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose also praised the officers and said he was proud of them.
“I am proud that these officers stepped in as if this child was a member of their own family,” he said. “Today, I speak for the entire City of Newark in giving them our most sincere thanks.”