Woodbridge Police Sgt., Deputy Fire Chief Save Toddler Girl Choking On Hair Clip

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A Woodbridge fire department deputy chief and Woodbridge police sergeant were honored for saving the life of a choking toddler in August.

The toddler girl was choking Aug. 25 on Woodbridge Avenue in the Sewaren section:

Woodbridge Police Sergeant Carlos Villegas was the first to respond and he radioed for back-up. Deputy Fire Chief Robert Minkler, Jr. responded and the two immediately began performing back blows to the toddler, who was choking on a small hair clip that had become stuck in her throat, said the Woodbridge Fire Dept.

The force of the back blows was able to dislodge the clip, and the child was able to breathe before EMS arrived. The girl was taken to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure.

"Thanks to the quick thinking and effective execution of lifesaving techniques by Deputy Chief Minkler and Sergeant Villegas, a small plastic hair clip was successfully dislodged from the child’s airway," said Woodbridge Fire Dept. "It is without doubt that the immediate and skilled actions taken by Deputy Chief Minkler and Sergeant Villegas played a critical role in preventing a tragic outcome."