Florida trooper helps save choking infant’s life

Trooper Billy Ortiz flagged down after ending his shift in Brooksville

Trooper Billy Ortiz (Florida Highway Patrol)

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – A Florida Highway Patrol trooper helped save a choking infant’s life after being flagged down by a driver in Brooksville at the end of his shift on Sunday, according to a news release.

Trooper Billy Ortiz was ending his workday and arriving at his home when a 25-year-old Brooksville man was speeding and honking the horn of his pickup truck to get the trooper’s attention, according to the FHP.

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As the trooper exited his vehicle, the man began yelling that an 8-month-old infant was choking, according to the release.

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Ortiz attempted to assist the child, along with a passerby who identified herself as a retired nurse, but they were unable to clear the obstruction.

According to the FHP, Ortiz and the retired nurse then drove the infant to a local hospital in the trooper’s car, where medical staff were able to clear a plastic wrapper obstructing the baby’s throat.

“The Trooper’s rapid and decisive actions were credited with saving the infant’s life,” the release read in part.


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About the Author:

Jacob joined ClickOrlando.com in 2022. He spent 19 years at the Orlando Sentinel, mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist, before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021.