LA VERGNE, Tenn. (WTVF) — When seconds matter in an emergency, taking time to find the right words can mean the difference between life and death.
La Vergne police officers discovered this firsthand when they responded to an emergency call to save a child's life earlier this month.
According to authorities, on September 12, La Vergne Police dispatch received a call around 5 a.m. from a woman screaming for help for her baby.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found a baby that appeared not to be breathing, surrounded by distraught loved ones.
Body camera footage obtained by NewsChannel 5 shows the tense moments as officers worked to communicate with the Spanish-speaking family while providing life-saving care.
"I put water on her, I already put water on you, my girl," a loved one can be heard saying in the footage in Spanish.
While it was clear how the family was feeling, communicating information came with a barrier.
In addition to some Spanish knowledge, quick-thinking officers turned to a translation app on their phone to help bridge the communication gap.
"We have an ambulance en route right now," officers told the family through the translation technology.
According to authorities, La Vergne Police's Sgt. Woodard opened the baby's airway and saved her life.
The body camera footage captures the moment when the baby began breathing again.
"There it comes," an officer said as crying could be heard from the infant.
"That's a good girl, yes," the officer said.
The good news coming through the phone provided relief for the worried family.
While the words required technology as a middleman, anyone could understand the emotions as family members repeatedly thanked the officers.
NewsChannel 5 reached out to La Vergne Police to learn more about the officers' perspective on the emergency call.
If we hear back that they'd like to share their story, we'll be sure to bring that to you.
This story was reported on-air by reporter Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Coles verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
It's migratory season for billions of animals across the United States. That means millions of birds and butterflies will take a rest stop in Tennessee and Kentucky as they move south for winter. Tennessee state parks are working to create vital habitat for the migrating monarchs. You may be able to follow their lead around your home to help reverse a declining monarch population.
- Lelan Statom
