Editor's note: This article is part of a series titled "Above and Beyond" featuring North Jersey's hometown heroes who have gone above and beyond to save lives.

The Hackensack Police Department got a panicked call on March 10 that a 1-year-old girl was turning blue and her eyes were rolling to the back of her head.

Another police unit was on its way to a home on Railroad Avenue around 5:30 p.m., but Officer Mark Carrillo heard the call and knew he was closer, so he decided to act immediately.

When the five-year police veteran arrived at the home, he found that the girl was breathing, but her body was limp and not responsive to his attempts to resuscitate her.

“Her eyes were glossed over," Carrillo said. "I attempted to stimulate the child by tapping on her back, her chest, her feet and speaking to her, and she did not respond."

It turns out the infant had a seizure.

That's when he knew there was no time to spare, not even to wait for medical personnel coming to the scene. Attempt after attempt to get a response proved unsuccessful, so Carrillo rushed the child and mother to Hackensack University Medical Center in his police car with his overhead lights flashing and sirens blaring.

The officer rushed into the pediatric emergency room and handed the baby to nurses. Minutes later they heard crying, a sign that the girl was responsive and on the road to recovery.

The young girl has since recovered from an undisclosed illness and is doing well.

Carrillo said he is thankful for the training he received in dealing with this situation, his first during his time on the force. He was also glad to be the first responder at that moment.

“I am really thankful that I can help out the community in any way I can and when they call 911 that I am able to help them out,” Carrillo said. “That’s what I signed up for.”

His superior officer, Capt. Darrin DeWitt, was effusive in his praise of Carrillo.

"I'm proud of him for a lot of reasons. One, he helped out a family and saved the life of a 1-year old little girl," DeWitt said. "He remained calm. The family was very upset, which is understandable. And he was like a pillar of confidence.

"He's a young officer, only five years on the job. And to show that kind of composure, in that type of situation, is extremely good."

Ricardo Kaulessar is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: kaulessar@northjersey.com Twitter: @ricardokaul