Ocean County Students: CPR Training Proven Effective in Newborn Rescue

Ariana Leonardis performed chest compressions on a three-week-old infant in Tuckerton on the evening of October 24, reviving the baby after the child stopped breathing. The 16-year-old junior at Pinelands Regional High School applied techniques she had learned just two days earlier in a human development and childcare class at Ocean County Vocational Technical School's Brick Center.

Leonardis was in the parking lot of a former urgent care facility when she heard a couple screaming for help. Her 15-year-old cousin, Riley Porter, was with her. Porter called 911 and told the dispatcher that the infant was not breathing. Leonardis approached the parents and asked if they needed CPR assistance. They agreed.

Leonardis placed the baby on the ground and began chest compressions. She stated that her primary thought was to get the baby back to life. Within moments, the infant began coughing and then crying. Porter noted during the 911 call that the baby was starting to cry, indicating a response to the treatment.

Porter explained that the baby's parents were pleading for help in Spanish. He had completed a Spanish lesson the previous week at school, which allowed him to understand the urgency of the situation. Porter identified Spanish as his favorite class and credited the recent lesson with helping him communicate effectively with the family during the crisis.

Ambulance crews arrived at the scene and found the newborn conscious. Medical personnel transported the infant to a nearby hospital. The parents had been struggling to get help because the baby was not breathing before the cousins intervened.

Leonardis called her mother, Kirah Leonardis, immediately after the emergency to report what had happened. Kirah Leonardis said she initially thought her daughter was joking until Ariana confirmed the details. The mother described the event as an emotional reminder of her daughter's quick thinking and execution.

Michelle Keenan, Leonardis' instructor at Ocean County Vocational Technical School, praised the student's ability to apply her training so rapidly. Keenan stated that the student applying the knowledge two days after learning it speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the curriculum. She added that such knowledge empowers students to act in critical moments.

The incident occurred in the parking lot where the parents were desperately trying to get help. Porter described the scene as frantic, with the couple screaming for assistance. The cousins' actions stopped the emergency before it escalated, allowing the medical team to take over with the infant conscious.

Leonardis said she felt relieved once the baby started crying. The experience marked the first real-world application of the CPR skills she had acquired in her vocational class. The combination of recent classroom training in both childcare and language enabled the two cousins to manage the situation until professional help arrived.