On Monday, December 15, a father and mother frantically rushed into Green Valley Grocery, located at 290 North Sandhill Boulevard, Mesquite Nevada. The panicked couple was carrying their three year old son, who was choking on a large piece of candy. A 911 call was placed into the Mesquite Police Department Emergency Dispatch Center from Green Valley Grocery. However, when the dispatcher answered the 911 call she could only hear yelling in background. Per MPD procedure the dispatcher broadcasted the emergency over the police radio informing officers that they received a 911 call with screaming in the background from Green Valley Grocery.

Officer Quinn Averett who is currently assigned as K-9 Officer for the Mesquite Police Department had finished his shift for the day and was headed home when he heard the call come over the radio. Officer Averett who was less than a block away responded to Green Valley Grocery not knowing what the disturbance was. As he approached the door he heard a female frantically screaming. Officer Averett entered the convenience store and found the father holding his semi-conscious not moving three year old son.

Officer Averett reverted to his first aid training, grabbed the small child and began life saving measures. After approximately one minute of working with the child Officer Averett was successful in dislodging a large “Jaw breaker” hard candy from the child’s airway.  The three year old immediately began breathing and crying. The child was later medically evaluated by paramedics who responded to the scene.

Store surveillance footage captured the seriousness of the event as well as the efforts made by Officer Averett in saving the small child’s life.

*The video compilation of the incident may be found on the MPD Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MesquiteNVPolice