This restaurant server, Flavaine Carvalho, was waiting her last table during the night shift at the Mrs Potatohead, a family-owned restaurant located in Orlando, Florida, when she spotted an unusual situation.
Namely, two parents of a young boy came in and ordered food. However, they ordered food just for them, saying the child will have dinner at home, later at night.
She looked at the boy who had glasses, wore a hoodie, a face mask, and had a scratch between his eyes. When she came to bring the food, she actually saw it was a bruise.
Carvalho Decides to Do Something to Help the Boy
Suspecting something wasn’t right, she walked away from their table and wrote down on a piece paper ‘do you need help?’ and showed it to the boy from an angle his parents couldn’t see.
The boy shook his head no; however, Carvalho says she knew deep inside he was scared. She had two more attempts and this is when the boy gave in. He said yes.
Quietly and without causing too much fuss, the smart server called the restaurant owner and told him she’s going to call the police to let them know about the boy.
Police came fast and arrested the parents on child abuse counts and child neglect counts. They also took a 4-year-old girl from the family; however, she had no signs of physical abuse.
The Child Was Tortured, Stated the Detectives
After speaking with the boy, the detectives discovered that his parents withheld food from him as a way to punish him. Sadly, the boy was 20 pounds underweight. And, during the physical exam, the doctors found multiple bruises throughout the body.
Shockingly, the boy was beaten with back scratchers and broomsticks by the father. Believe it or not, according to the boy’s statement, once, they hung him upside down on the door frame and restrained him by strapping him to a furniture dolly.
According to Detective Erin Lawler, the child went through torture which had no justification whatsoever. Lawler, a mother herself, says that seeing what this 11-year-old boy went through shocked her soul.
Thanks to the bravery and with of Carvalho, the two children have been saved from further abuse, said the police chief of Orlando, Rolon.
He also emphasized the importance of recognizing when something isn’t right and acting on it. In this case, it saved children’s lives!
The owner of the restaurant, Rafaela Cabede, also praised her employee’s efforts and hopes that her bravery will be an inspiration for others to recognize and act on abuse.
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