By C1 Staff
LOS ANGELES — Inmates are praising a corrections officer who saved the life of an inmate during dinner one evening.
A letter signed by 63 inmates of the Century Regional Detention Facility praised first-year deputy Kristen Aufedemberg for performing the Heimlich manuever on an inmate who appeared to be choking on her lasagna, according to the LA Observed.
The letter suggested some kind of special recognition should be bestowed on Aufedemberg.
A LASD news release describes the incident in detail:
Deputy Aufdemberg immediately ran towards the inmate and saw the inmate’s face turning bluish-gray as she struggled to breathe.The deputy began administering life-saving treatment to the choking inmate. She stood behind the inmate, wrapped her arms around the inmate’s waist, and made several quick inward and upward thrusts into the inmate’s stomach area. After several attempts, the food stuck in the inmate’s throat became dislodged, freeing her airway and allowing her to breathe again.
Los Angeles County Jail medical professionals responded immediately to the housing module and provided additional medical treatment. The inmate was medically cleared and is in good condition.
63 inmates who witnessed the life-saving actions of Deputy Aufdemberg signed a note thanking her for saving the life of their cellmate. A copy of the thank you letter will be made available to the media.
In the note, the women in housing unit 2600 wrote, “we the inmates of 2600 feel that Deputy Aufdemberg should receive major recognition in honor of her heroic gesture.”