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Sebastian Co. Deputy honored for saving baby's life

Deputy Tori Cline was honored by Governor Hutchinson for saving an infant who had been choking and unresponsive.

HACKETT, Ark. — A Sebastian County Deputy was honored by Governor Asa Hutchinson for saving the life of a baby in Huntington, Arkansas.

On Wednesday, April 27, Deputy Tori Cline was given the Fort Smith Rotary Club’s Deputy Of The Year for her role in the life-saving call on Feb. 14, 2022. 

"To go to Hackett as the report was, that a child is choking," said Sebastian County Sheriff's Office Patrol/Public Information Officer, Captain Philip Pevehouse describing the call that came in.

On that day, Deputy Cline was called to help an unresponsive baby at a home in Huntington. When she arrived, she found the mother holding her unresponsive child.

Without hesitation, Deputy cline checked the baby's airway for any blockages when she heard the child make a gurgling sound. She knew the baby's airway was blocked, flipped the baby over and began one-handed pats on the child's back while listening for blockage. 

The baby then spit out what was blocking her airway and began to breathe normally again. EMS arrived shortly after to check on the infant.

“One, ems was not close by,” Pevehouse said. “Secondly, Hackett being a volunteer department it might take folks a while to get there."

Stepping inside and springing into action and putting her mom hat on, staying cool under pressure. Pevehouse credits this to her success.

“It was a lot of motherly instincts that took over,” said Pevehouse. “It was the right deputy, for the right call, at the right movement in time."

According to the police report, the mother just began feeding the baby formula, which she believed is what she was choking on.

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