Children are a gift of God. They are innocent and should be protected with love, care and respect. It’s depressing to see that innocent children are being abused.
Flavaine Carvalho worked as a waitress at Mrs. Potato Restaurant in Orlando, Florida. On New Year’s Day a family with a 11 year old boy and his 4 year sister caught her attention. She felt something was not correct. While the rest of the boy’s family ate, the kids weren’t allowed to order any food.
She sensed something was wrong and could not let the boy go without any help. With concern she asked the boy’s step father Timothy Wilson II if there was anything wrong with the food. He told her the boy would eat at home.
The boy’s face and arms were covered with bruises. She noticed a big scratch between his eyebrow and later noticed a bruise on the side of his eye. Carvalho is a mother to a daughter who is 18 and realized the boy needed help.
She stood behind his parents with a hand written sign asking whether he needed help. He nodded signalling yes and made a gesture with his hand showing he didn’t know what to do.
Carvalho called 911 and the police took over the situation marvellously. The police questioned the boy who mentioned other mistreatment by his parents. He explained to them that ratchet straps were tied around his ankles and neck and from a door he was hung upside down with a wooden broom, handcuffed, tied to a large moving dolly and as a punishment wasn’t allowed to eat on a regular basis.
The boy’s mother Kristen Swann was questioned too and confessed to knowing about the abuse and ignoring her son’s medical attention. Police arrested Wilson who was charged of third degree child abuse along with Swann who was charged with two counts of child neglect.
The poor child was taken to the hospital for examination. The examination indicated injuries were described as “torture.” The police further mentioned that the boy was underweight and had to do at a time planks for 30 minutes and if he was unable he would be beaten.
The boy and his sister, 4, have been taken from their home and have been kept in the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families. When the things got settled for the children Carvalho only wanted to hug the boy.
The owner of Mrs. Potato’s restaurant was proud of his staff and said “This has to encourage people that if you see something, say something.”
Restaurant Manager Helps Detectives Save Boy From Abusive HomeSEE 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.
Posted by Orlando Police Department on Thursday, 14 January 2021
