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The tragic reason for Monday’s Coquihalla shutdown has been revealed.
A young couple was travelling from Vernon to Vancouver, when their two week old infant son stopped breathing about 35 kilometres south of Merritt.
UPDATE - #BCHwy5 Closed at Exit #256 for Air ambulance landing. Expect delays. Next update 5:45. https://t.co/onPMs5WqBl #Kamloops #Merritt
— Drive BC (@DriveBC) March 21, 2017
“Dad was sitting in the backseat with the little guy and he checked the baby because he appeared to be sleeping and he wasn’t breathing,” Sgt. Norm Flemming of the Merritt RCMP told KelownaNow. “Mom pulled the car over, they called 911, began first aid and at that point the ambulance called us to attend because they needed the highway shut for the air ambulance to come do an emergency pickup.”
The air ambulance responded quickly, but the infant was pronounced dead en route to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.
“Our hearts go out to this family, it’s just unbelievably sad,” said Flemming. “The parents were exceptionally brave.”
The coroner’s office will be conducting an autopsy into the cause of death later this week.
Highway 5 was closed for 90 minutes on Monday night to allow for the air ambulance to make the extraction.
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