AKRON, Ohio — A veteran Akron Police detective is receiving high praise for saving the life of a toddler.
Det. Larry Rhodaback, who has worked for APD for 22 years, was working a secondary job at an apartment building when a 23-month-old girl went unconscious.
The incident happened on the evening of Jan. 11 at the Martin P. Lauer Apartments building on North Howard Street.
Rhodaback said he was in a computer room and heard a commotion by the office. He saw a father carrying the girl who wasn't breathing.
"I asked what's going on? He says his daughter wasn't breathing and she was unconscious," Rhodaback said.
The detective immediately jumped into action and told the father to put the toddler on a table.
"At that point in time, I started CPR, two-finger compressions," he said.
Realizing time was of the essence, Rhodaback also called 911.
"Two years of age, unconscious, not breathing. I'm in the lobby," he told the operator. "I cannot communicate. I'm doing CPR on the child."
After doing CPR for several minutes, the toddler started breathing again. EMS continued rescue efforts, and the girl was saved.
Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority Executive Director Herman Hill believes the detective is a hero.
"We're so thankful for him stepping in to save this child's life because had he not been there, then there could have been a different outcome," Hill said.
Rhodaback said a relative told him the girl could have choked on a cheese puff. It's not clear if that happened, but hours after the girl was transported to Akron Children's Hospital, another 911 call was made.
This time, it was a hospital employee who said there was fentanyl in the girl's system.
"Her tox screen just came back and it was positive for fentanyl," the employee said.
The operator responded, "Oh God, let me catch my breath."
The revelation that a 23-month-old girl somehow ingested fentanyl is alarming to Hill.
"A kid should never have fentanyl in his or her system, and so obviously, that's unacceptable and it's intolerable," Hill said.
Police said the girl's father was with her that night, but he wasn't supposed to be due to a protection order.
He's now facing a charge, accused of violating that order. The mother is charged with child endangering for allegedly allowing the toddler to be with the dad.
Investigators are trying to figure out how the child ingested the drug and said more charges are possible.
According to police, Summit County Children Services took custody of the girl and two other kids while the agency continues to investigate.
Speaking in general terms, Amy Davidson, the deputy director of social services for Summit County Children Services, said cases of kids accidentally ingesting drugs, like marijuana edibles or fentanyl, are on the rise in recent years.
"Fentanyl is such a dangerous and lethal drug. That's just such an extreme circumstance. That should just never be anywhere near a child," Davidson said.
She also stressed it's up to parents to provide a safe environment free of drugs.
"If someone uses drugs, they should change their clothes, wash them, wash themselves before they touch a child," she said. "Be sure your little ones aren't picking up a baggy or debris on a playground. We've had instances of cases with families where that's how their child has actually been exposed to it."
Hill said AMHA is planning to honor Rhodaback for his heroic actions, possibly as early as next Thursday at a board meeting.
The detective is grateful the girl is doing okay and said he just acted on instinct that evening.
"Anybody with any common sense would try to save the child," he said. "I don't think that it's a hero."
