‘He Was Our Angel': Fullerton Police Officer Saves Baby From Choking

When Eva Najar noticed that her 16-month-old grandson Jonathan was choking on his food during lunch, she immediately froze.

"It was very scary," she said. "I didn't know what to do."

Fortunately, Sgt. Craig Odom of the Fullerton Police Department happened to be at that same restaurant, El Camino Real, during that same lunch hour Thursday afternoon.

Odom noticed Jonathan turning blue and immediately sprang into action. He picked the baby up and started doing the Heimlich maneuver on him. Jonathan then threw up three times.

"He was quick," Najar said. "He was our angel. He really was our angel."

Najar brought Jonathan and their family down to the police station Friday afternoon to thank Odom. They greeted him with balloons, baked goods and lots of hugs.

"We have Jonathan home with us today because of him," she said.

This is the third time Odom has saved a life in the recent years — in 2012, he pulled a woman from a burning vehicle, and during a welfare check in 2014 he gave an woman CPR after noticing she was unconscious through her bedroom window.

"I believe he's an angel sent from God," Najar said.

Odom denied requests for interviews.

"He's very humble, and he's embarrassed by recognition," said Sgt. Kathryn Hamel of the Fullerton Police Department.

Hamel said it was difficult to get Odom to meet the family Friday at the station.

"The family was so grateful and so appreciative," she said. "We really wanted to do everything we could and show support for them."

After this incident, Najar said she and Jonathan's mother are planning to take first aid classes to learn the Heimlich maneuver.

"It just happened so fast. We need to take a class," she said.

Hamel warns parents to make sure their children are eating age-appropriate food. If a child is choking, parents should do a sweep of the mouth to ensure any food particles do not go down the throat.