COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A routine traffic stop in Cobb County quickly turned into a life-or-death emergency, and a newborn is alive today because of the fast action of a veteran officer and a 911 dispatcher working together.
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Officer William DeSaussure with the Cobb County Police Department was responding to a traffic stop last week when a frantic father ran toward him.
Dash camera video captures the desperate plea.
“I need help. My wife’s going into labor right now. I don’t think we’re going to make it to the hospital,” the man told the officer.
DeSaussure immediately radioed for an ambulance and rushed to the vehicle.
“When I came around the side of the car, the baby was already born,” he said.
But the emergency was far from over. The newborn was not breathing.
DeSaussure remained on the phone with a 911 operator as he began performing CPR on the infant.
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Desmond Harris, community relations supervisor with Cobb County 911, said it’s rare to receive a call from one of their own officers needing assistance.
“It’s very rare that you get a call from one of your own officers who needs your help,” Harris said. “She jumped into action, launched our protocols and provided CPR instructions for him.”
DeSaussure said he performed about three rounds of CPR.
“I started CPR and did about three rounds for the infant. That’s when I noticed I started to see some arms move, and then I saw the baby started sticking out her tongue,” he said.
Moments later, the baby began breathing.
“This is the true definition of public safety working well together,” Harris said.
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For DeSaussure, who has been with the department for more than 20 years and works in the STEP Unit investigating serious injuries and fatalities, the moment was especially powerful.
“You go from giving people the worst day of their life to helping a life come in — it’s tough,” he said.
He told Channel 2 Action News this is the first time in his career he has experienced anything like it.
“I’m just happy mom, dad, baby are all good,” he said.
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