TULSA, Ok — A security guard's quick thinking and training potentially saved a baby's life during a community baby shower in South Tulsa on June 18.
Todd Sloggett, a security guard with PHD Security, was working the event at the South Tulsa Community House when he noticed a young mother interacting with guests.
WATCH: Security guard saves baby from choking at South Tulsa community baby shower
"During all of this, I noticed a young mother who was interacting with a lot of people and somebody gave her a little toy ring, a little plastic-like spider ring or something," Sloggett said.
He said the mother may have become confused while tending to her children and gave the small plastic ring to her approximately 1-year-old daughter, who was sitting in a stroller.
"She had another child and she was doing things and she might have got confused I don't know instead of giving it to the older child, she actually gave about a 1-year-old baby girl in a stroller the plastic ring," Sloggett said.
Sloggett continued watching the baby and saw what no one else around him did.
"I continued to watch the baby and immediately the baby took the ring off and put it in her mouth, gummed it a couple of times and then swallowed and started gagging and choking and nobody knew it was happening," Sloggett said.
He removed his gloves and pushed through the crowd to reach the child.
"Fortunately, the first thing I did was get a hold of the baby's jaw and get the mouth open and I could see the whole ring still lodged at the very top of the throat so I got my thumb around the ring and popped it and as soon as I popped it, the baby started breathing again," Sloggett said.
Tony Martinez, owner of PSD Security Services, said Sloggett's actions went far beyond the standard duties of a security officer.
"When an officer goes above and beyond the way that he did and to be able to notice that child choking and asphyxiating at that moment it took some huge situational awareness and then for him to just jump into action as quicky as he did, he deserved to be commended for it," Martinez said.
Sloggett's security company awarded him an award for his heroic efforts.
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