Delaware

Teen Claims to Help Collapsed Baby Girl in Del. Chick-Fil-A; School District Casts Doubt

A Delaware school district investigated a high school student's claims that she used skills she learned in class to help a toddler who collapsed in a fast food restaurant.

Theresa’lyn Outten said she practiced CPR on a fake baby in her health class at Smyrna High School. She never imagined she would ever apply what she learned to an actual life and death situation.

Outten was inside a Chick-Fil-A in Dover, Delaware Monday when an 18-month-old girl collapsed in the play area.

"I just see all this commotion in the playground area so I walk over there and I see a little kid on the ground not being able to breathe," Outten said.

In the middle of the chaos, Outten said she told someone to call an ambulance as she began performing chest compressions on the baby girl just like she had practiced at school.

"I was a little bit like, nervous, but I still did it and I got it done," Outten said.

Outten told NBC10 the baby was awake and alert when medics arrived. As they were getting into the ambulance, Outten said the baby girl’s parents thanked her before leaving.

On Wednesday, the Smyrna School District released a statement that questioned the details of Outten's story.

"The Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 news story about a Smyrna student quickly took on a life of its own without the school district’s opportunity to check the facts," said the school district statement. "While our student reportedly helped in a situation in a Chik-Fil-A restaurant the facts differ from what was reported. This is all we can say at this time."

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