A U.S Customs and Border Protection officer reunited with a baby girl he delivered at the San Ysidro Port of Entry six years ago.
Officer J. Lott was among officers inspecting travelers, and vehicles and monitoring the lanes on Dec. 8, 2016, when a call came over the radio signaling an emergency. Lott, who had prior training as an Emergency Medical Technician, immediately grabbed his medical bag to respond to the call.
He observed a distressed female traveler in a vehicle going into labor and prepared to help deliver the baby. Upon intervention, Lott realized the baby was in a breeched position, meaning the feet or buttocks were positioned to be delivered first.
"I just trusted my training. I knew if I remained calm, the mother, the father, and everyone around me would stay calm," Lott recalled. "Although deep down inside I did not want to fail them," Lott said.
Officer Lott described after a long birthing process, the mother successfully delivered a baby girl, but the newborn began to turn blue and was not breathing. He suctioned the nose and mouth of the newborn, followed by administering several chest compressions until she started crying.
“I remember saying to myself, just keep on breathing baby, just keep on breathing, please,” he said.
Alexa Garcia, who is now two months from her sixth birthday, reunited with Officer Lot last week during a meeting coordinated by CBP officials and the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana.
