Vancouver police corporal saves 13-month-old from near drowning

A Vancouver police corporal saved a 13-month-old baby who was reportedly choking and drowning in a bathtub New Year’s Day at an apartment complex in the Hudson’s Bay neighborhood.

At 1:08 p.m. Saturday, emergency dispatch radioed a report of a child who was unconscious and not breathing at the Z Street Lofts, 615 Z St., according to Vancouver police spokeswoman Kim Kapp.

Police Cpl. Neil Martin arrived within two minutes, scaled the fencing around the apartment complex and ran to the third-floor unit. Kapp said in an email that Martin grabbed the baby, began life-saving measures and brought the child to the parking lot as the Vancouver Fire Department and AMR arrived.

A short time later, the baby was alert and crying, Kapp said. Crews took the baby to a local hospital for further testing.

Martin noted others who also helped the baby.

“I was not the only person involved in trying to save this baby,” he said. “Accolades should go to VFD Firefighter Nate Cook who took over patient care, the rest of Engine 16, AMR Medic 16-1, and the doctors and nurses at PeaceHealth as all of them were instrumental in the lifesaving efforts.”

Kapp did not know the child’s condition as of Monday afternoon and did not have information on the circumstances of the drowning.