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Watch: Cop on lunch break saves choking girl, 10, with Heimlich

Det. Richard Jupinka was in the right place at the right time

heimlich manchester police saves girl

Manchester (N.J.) Police Department

By Jeff Goldman
nj.com

MANCHESTER, N.J. — A Manchester police detective on his lunch break rushed to the aid of a girl choking girl in a restaurant last week, officials said.

Det. Richard Jupinka was at a nearby table at Café Napoli on at about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday when he rushed to the 10-year-old’s aid as her uncle was unable to effectively perform the Heimlich maneuver, police said. The incident was captured on video at the restaurant.

Jupinka stepped in and successfully performed abdominal thrusts, jarring the food loose from the girl’s esophagus.

The girl’s family declined medical attention for her and thanked Jupinka, who has been a police officer for about 19 years.

“Thankfully, one of our officers was in the right place at the right time, “ Chief Robert Dolan said. “Had he not been there, this incident could have ended much differently.”

Jupinka was the first of two cops in Ocean County to potentially save a child’s life last week. The following day, Island Heights police officer Rocco Mellott rescued a child from a hot car and then arranged to help pay for the window he was forced to break.

[NEXT: Video: Man choking on baggie of pot saved by trooper’s Heimlich maneuver]

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