‘She saved my baby’s life,’ local parents praise officer’s quick actions

PITTSBURGH — A local baby is at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh right now doing really good and it’s all thanks to the officer that doctors said helped save her life on Saturday.

The parents said something seemed off, so they decided to take their baby to the hospital.

Joe Schleicher, the father of the baby explained that his nine-day-old baby, Olivia, was fussy and that his wife noticed something very wrong.

“She said she’s not breathing. She’s not breathing I have to get her out of the car seat and we were sitting at a red light at that point,” Schleicher explained.

That’s when they flagged down Pleasant Hills Officer Kristin Mitrisin, who was a few cars up from the Schleichers, and she took quick action.

“I heard beeping next to me. I saw a male driver waving to me. I put down the window,” Officer Mitrisin explained.

She then pulled over, took the baby from the father, and started doing compressions. Then a bystander jumped in to help out.

“I asked him ‘sir can you please get the AED out of my car.’ He said, ‘yes I’m a corrections officer, I’ll help you’,” Officer Mitrisin stated.

The machine analyzed the baby and the officer continued to do chest compressions. The father stated that it was a terrifying moment for him and his wife.

“Very scary to have your child in the back of a truck with AEDS on her and she started turning blue.”

Minutes later the baby let out a cry and the officer described it as “the best cry” she had ever heard.

Olivia is at the hospital now and has a heart condition that she will need surgery for.

“I’m a mother of two children so I would hope someone could help me,” Officer Mitrisin stated.

Schleicher stated that he cannot explain his gratitude. However, the officer said she hoped that others would do the same thing for her.

“If the officer would be willing to meet the baby and meet up with us after she comes out of the hospital that’s something we’d definitely be interested in. I feel like she may feel as proud as we are knowing that she saved the baby,” Schleicher explained.

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