Following the horrific incident that could have ended the life of Pedraza Gomez, Chief Brent Zachery (left), Assistant Chief Phyllis Soileau (right), and Nicole Fontenot (center) posed for a picture with Pedraza Gomez. (Photo courtesy of Phyllis Soileau)
By: ELIZABETH WEST
Associate Editor
On Wednesday, July 13, 2016, Mamou Police Officer Nicole Price Fontenot was dispatched to a Mamou residence in response to an unresponsive child.
Upon arrival, Fontenot said, “The child’s mother was holding the baby in her arms and the little girl was limp.”
Fontenot continued, “The mother handed the baby to me and I immediately began doing what I had been trained to do in those situations, which was check her pathway first.”
There was nothing blocking the little girl’s pathway, so Fontenot said that she then put the child’s stomach on her forearm and began to pat her on the back.
“I kept patting her good on her back,” said Fontenot. “And all of a sudden the child started throwing up. She began breathing after that.”
The little girl, whose name is Pedraza Ana Gomez, was transported by Acadian Ambulance to Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Lafayette following the incident.
The mother, Naomi Gomez, was unable to speak English and therefore officers were unsure as to what caused Pedraza to become unresponsive until they spoke with the father.
The child’s father informed officers that Pedraza suffers from seizures.
According to Officer Fontenot, who visited Pedraza while she was in the hospital, “the little girl is back home now and is doing great.”
Police Chief Brent Zachery and Assistant Police Chief Phyllis Soileau shared how proud they were of the work that Fontenot did.
Zachery said, “I commend Officer Fontenot on a job well done. I am very proud of her for saving a child’s life.”