Heroic Sheffield woman saves toddler’s life choking on dummy at packed Bullring shopping centre

Gillie KranenbergGillie Kranenberg
Gillie Kranenberg
A quick-thinking Sheffield woman saved a toddler’s life who was choking on their dummy at a busy shopping centre.

Horrified crowds noticed the child choking on her dummy in the Birmingham Bull Ring centre during the Black Friday sales.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gillie Kranenburg, 31, from Sheffield rushed through the crowds to help as the little girl began turning blue.

Kranenburg, a Sales Manager at Lumens, found the child struggling to breathe outside JD Sports but intervened, performing the Heimlich manoeuvre.

She managed to slap the baby on her back until the teet dislodged from her throat before paramedics took her to hospital as a precaution.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gille said: “It was a horrible experience but thankfully the little girl appeared to be ok afterwards.

“I have had some first aid training through work and it really did help in this situation. Although it was traumatic at the time it's a nice feeling to think I was there to help the little girl and potentially save her life.”

It is believed that the toddler was choking on the teet of her dummy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called to JD Sports at the Bullring at 7.16pm on Friday following reports a toddler was choking.

Man 'on fire' at New Street station fights for his life after coming into contact with power lines

"When we arrived the little girl was no longer choking. She was checked by paramedics and taken to Birmingham Children's Hospital as a precaution."