• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Subscribe
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Leadership
    • Why you should lead from 30,000 feet
      Public perception and trust
      When performance reviews are a waste of time
      Taking a page from Toyota’s playbook
      Tattoos can be self-inflicted handicaps
  • Topics
    • Leadership
      • Why you should lead from 30,000 feet
        Public perception and trust
        When performance reviews are a waste of time
        Taking a page from Toyota’s playbook
        Tattoos can be self-inflicted handicaps
    • Editor’s Picks
      • Liability challenges in contemporary policing
        When performance reviews are a waste of time
        Proactive wellness visits
        Taking a page from Toyota’s playbook
        Law enforcement’s missing weapon
    • On the Job
      • Right place, right time — again
        Some good news on crime
        Mom-to-be named Cop of the Year
        Fatherly instincts save boy from icy water
        More than a call for service
    • Labor
      • Labor release under fire
        Who’s watching the watchmen?
        Crime and punishment (or lack thereof) in Seattle
        Labor leadership out in the field
        When you are falsely accused
    • Tech
      • A modern field guide to understanding research in policing
        Gear that moves with you
        A new breed of cop car
        The future of patrol is here
        New York governor highlights $24 million investment to modernize law...
    • Training
      • Navigating danger
        Critical thinking in police training
        Threshold neuroscience
        Integrated virtual reality training
        Hit the pause button
    • Policy
      • Try racing without wheels
        Law enforcement accreditation: Why it matters
        Liability challenges in contemporary policing
        The war on drugs is evolving
        Drug policy and enforcement
    • Health/Wellness
      • Nervous system regulation
        The nature of the job
        Promoting organizational wellness
        Telling cops to get more sleep isn’t working
        Proactive wellness visits
    • Community
      • Shop with a Cop
        Community engagement: What is it moving forward?
        Contradictory crossroads
        Back-to-school season brings out police support nationwide
        A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
    • Offbeat
      • An unexpected burglar
        Police humor only a cop would understand
        Not eggzactly a perfect heist
        Pizza … with a side of alligator?
        Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
    • We Remember
      • Forty heroes: United Airlines Flight 93
        The Pentagon
        A nation propelled to war, lives changed forever
        A Christmas loss
        York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically...
    • HOT Mail
      • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • On the Job
    • Right place, right time — again
      Some good news on crime
      Mom-to-be named Cop of the Year
      Fatherly instincts save boy from icy water
      More than a call for service
  • Labor
    • Labor release under fire
      Who’s watching the watchmen?
      Crime and punishment (or lack thereof) in Seattle
      Labor leadership out in the field
      When you are falsely accused
  • Tech
    • A modern field guide to understanding research in policing
      Gear that moves with you
      A new breed of cop car
      The future of patrol is here
      New York governor highlights $24 million investment to modernize law...
  • Training
    • Navigating danger
      Critical thinking in police training
      Threshold neuroscience
      Integrated virtual reality training
      Hit the pause button
  • Policy
    • Try racing without wheels
      Law enforcement accreditation: Why it matters
      Liability challenges in contemporary policing
      The war on drugs is evolving
      Drug policy and enforcement
  • Health/Wellness
    • Nervous system regulation
      The nature of the job
      Promoting organizational wellness
      Telling cops to get more sleep isn’t working
      Proactive wellness visits
  • Community
    • Shop with a Cop
      Community engagement: What is it moving forward?
      Contradictory crossroads
      Back-to-school season brings out police support nationwide
      A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
  • Offbeat
    • An unexpected burglar
      Police humor only a cop would understand
      Not eggzactly a perfect heist
      Pizza … with a side of alligator?
      Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
  • We Remember
    • Forty heroes: United Airlines Flight 93
      The Pentagon
      A nation propelled to war, lives changed forever
      A Christmas loss
      York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically...
  • HOT Mail
    • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
Search

On the Job

Kansas City detectives hailed as heroes for saving choking baby’s life

APB Team Published March 10, 2024 @ 6:00 am PDT

Kansas City P.D.

Two detectives from the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) are being lauded as heroes after their quick actions saved the life of a choking baby outside University Health Hospital on Feb. 11.

Their heroic response was captured by the hospital’s surveillance system.

As seen on the footage shared by KCPD, Detectives Lauren Montgomery and Brett Ussary were leaving the hospital when they noticed a family in distress in the parking garage.

Detective Montgomery, clad in a gray jacket, immediately sprang into action as she administered back blows to the choking and unresponsive baby.

Back blows, according to Mayo Clinic, are a crucial first aid technique used to dislodge blockages in an infant’s airway, allowing them to breathe again.

The KCPD described the panicked state of the parents as they arrived at the hospital entrance seeking urgent help for their child.

“The parents were frantic,” the department wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Officer Brett Ussary wasted no time and rushed into University Health Hospital to seek additional assistance while Montgomery continued her life-saving measures.

During Montgomery’s intervention, she managed to successfully dislodge the obstruction from the baby’s airway.

It was later determined that the infant had choked on a small toy.

The child thankfully began to gasp for air and cry, signaling a return to normal breathing.

Following the incident, Montgomery reflected on the value of her training in such situations.

“Fortunately, we recertify every year in our CPR and first aid training. The back blows are fairly easy,” Montgomery said in an interview.

The detective, who used to work on patrol, said she had experienced her fair share of similar emergencies on the job.

“After experiencing enough chaotic situations, you do learn to be calmer,” Montgomery reflected.

Despite the intensity of the situation, KCPD has yet to disclose the specifics leading up to the incident or provide updates on the baby’s recovery in the weeks following the incident.

In a statement, KCPD expressed gratitude and admiration for the swift response of Detectives Montgomery and Ussary.

“Great job, Detective Montgomery and Officer Ussary!” KCPD shared in a social media post.

Others echoed these sentiments, praising the actions of the two officers.

“Guts is not only facing gunfire, it’s the courage to step in and do what needs to be done,” one person wrote.

When asked if she had spoken to the parents following the incident, Montgomery said she had not, but hopes they are well.

“I hope their little girl is doing great, and that they’re recovering from the incident,” she said.

Categories: On the Job Tags: life saving, first aid, detective, Kansas City Police Department, choking baby, Lauren Montgomery, Brett Ussary, back blows, infant, hero

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • Nervous system regulation
  • Navigating danger
  • The nature of the job
  • Forty heroes: United Airlines Flight 93
  • Why you should lead from 30,000 feet
  • Promoting organizational wellness
  • Critical thinking in police training
  • Public perception and trust
  • Labor release under fire
  • Reminder: Apply now for the 2026 Destination Zero Awards

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

Liability challenges in contemporary policing

Liability challenges in contemporary policing

February 27, 2026

When performance reviews are a waste of time

When performance reviews are a waste of time

February 26, 2026

Proactive wellness visits

Proactive wellness visits

February 25, 2026

Taking a page from Toyota’s playbook

Taking a page from Toyota’s playbook

February 23, 2026

Policies | Consent Preferences | Copyright © 2026 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.