“We gotta kind check our emotions at the door when we walk in so we can function and do our jobs properly,” said Officer Tony Edwards, Menasha Police Dept.
Officer Edwards was first to respond on scene this week when officers were called to the Redliner Bar for an intoxicated man who police say left his two and a half month old baby in the car in freezing weather.
The bartender, Theresa Gietman, said she tried to get the man, 53-year-old Merriett Cox a safe ride home. She was able to get his car keys when he said he had to check on "his girl".
"I started getting the baby out, but then I couldn't get the seatbelt all the way through and then he pushed me out of the way,” said Gietman. “He went to grab it and I'm like she's not unlocked and he actually tilted the car seat and thank God she was strapped in.”
When Edwards arrived, he went into "dad mode", doing everything thing he could to comfort the infant before paramedics arrived.
"Officer Edwards stepped in right away and grabbed the baby,” said Gietman. He needs to cheers to him. He changed a diaper, fed her, so he went way beyond.”
“I think it's just an automatic thing,” said Officer Edwards. “Right now if a baby cries around here its change diapers, stick a bottle in its mouth.”
He says its second nature as a parent. He has four boys. His twins, Wyatt and Walker are just a little older than the baby he helped this week.
"I'm just thankful for officer Edwards,” said Gietman. "It could've been worse."
The bartender calling Officer Edwards a hero, but he gives thanks to the bar staff. He says he doesn't want the credit; anyone would do what he did.
“We don't want the recognition, we don't want the notoriety, we just do it cause it's what's right to be done,” he said. “The people I work with they do this every day, just doesn't get a picture taken.”
Edwards checked in with the mother of the baby and reports she's doing just fine.
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Menasha Police have arrested a 53-year-old Chilton man after finding his 2 1/2 month old baby girl in his vehicle while he was drinking at a Menasha bar.
On Wednesday, Menasha Police responded to the Redliner Bar in the 900 block of Plank Road for reports of an uncooperative, drunk man.
Officers learned the man had arrived at the bar around noon, but employees eventually would not serve him because of how drunk he was. They would not let him drive and made attempts to find him a ride home, police said.
Bar employees told police the man would not cooperate with their attempts to find him a ride, and he mentioned he needed to check on his girl, according to police.
The employees then checked the man's car and found the baby, police said.
The child did not appear injured, but was taken to Theda Care Regional Medical Center in Neenah as a precaution.
She was reunited with her mother, who had been at work.
The father was taken to Winnebago County Jail, referred on charges of child neglect, disorderly conduct, resisting and officer, and bail jumping.
