A quick-thinking waitress rescued an 11-year-old boy from his abusive guardians by holding a sign that reads "do you need help?"
Flaviane Carvalho was serving a family of four at the restaurant Mrs. Potato in Orange County, Orlando, Florida, when she noticed bruises on the boy.
Carvalho later said the boy appeared to be "secluded" from the rest of the family and was also the only one not eating.
"I observed that the boy was denied food," Carvalho said, "it was the first thing that got my attention."
"This was super strange to me," she said. "I could see that he was super quiet and sad."
When she asked the adults why no food had been ordered for the child they told her the boy would eat at home later.
"I could see he had a big scratch between his eyebrows," Carvalho added.
"Couple of minutes later, I saw a bruise on the side of his eye. So I felt there was something really wrong."
The smart waitress quickly flashed him a handwritten "Do you need help?" sign behind his parents' back.
After multiple tries, "he nodded his head yes," Carvalho said, prompting her to call 911 immediately.
The boy's mother, 31-year-old Kristen Swann, and her husband, Timothy Lee Wilson were arrested at the scene.
"I was used like a tool from God to help him," Carvalho told NBC.
"We need to pay attention for the ones that are in need, and step forward to do something to change the situation."
Officers recovered multiple items including a bent metal pole, a wooden broom, a dolly cart, handcuffs, and ratchet straps.
Police later learned that the boy’s stepfather had used these items as weapons to punish and torture the minor with military-style exercises.
Wilson would allegedly hang the boy upside down, isolate and starve him for days, reports said.
On Monday, June 6, Wilson was found guilty of two counts of false imprisonment of a child under 13, three counts of aggravated child abuse with a weapon, four counts of aggravated child abuse, and one count of child neglect.
He will be sentenced on August 19.
Swann reportedly told police that she knew about the abuse and had failed to secure medical care for the child. She was arrested and charged with two counts of child neglect.
SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING: We talked with an Orlando Restaurant Manager who saw a family withholding food from a boy at a table. She noticed bruises on his body and created a sign to secretly ask the child if he needed help. When he signaled "Yes" she called us. pic.twitter.com/U8m9MG1KUN
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) January 14, 2021
Orlando police chief Orlando Rolon had praised Flaviane's quick-thinking.
"We probably would’ve been talking about a potential homicide investigation if she had not intervened when she did," Rolon said last year.
"We firmly believe that without her asking him if he needed help and calling 911, he would have gone even longer without eating or drinking and continuing to be tortured at the hands of Mr. Wilson."
"Had she not said anything, I believe law enforcement and the child protection team thought he probably could have died."
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
