The 9-year-old has been praised by law enforcement officials after the brave 911 Cole helped save her family’s Orange County home amid attempts robbery.
The Westminster Police Department released an audio recording of the call on Monday.
“Someone is breaking into my house,” the girl can be heard calmly saying as she began the phone.
The 9-year-old called the 911 from his cell phone at 5:53pm on April 3rd. A man reported that he was trying to break into the house through a downstairs window.
Police said the girl was on the second floor while dispatching for attempted robbery at her home in the Magnolia Street and Bolsa Avenue areas.
“They broke the window,” the girl said.
The dispatcher, identified as WPD Dispatch director Kristen Kannard, continued to ask the child more questions, so knocks were heard from the end of the child’s call.
“They’re knocking on the door,” the girl says.
Calm down one by one to Kannard’s question, Dispatch learns that there is a man in the house, which is estimated to be in his 30s, and that the girl’s family is downstairs.
“So, are you downstairs, and you’re upstairs?” then Kannado asks.
The audio from the girl’s side of the conversation is not entirely clear on the recording, but she appears to be telling Cannado “Yes, please help me.”
“Is your mom there?” asks Cannado. “Can you talk to your mom or dad?”
“No, I’m really scared,” the girl seems to replied. “I hear them coming upstairs and I really don’t know what’s going on.”
Kannado asks what the girl can hear or if she is in a position to send what the suspect is saying.
“I heard him kick the door,” the girl says.
Soon after, other members of the girl’s family are asked in the background of the phone.
“I called the police! I already called the police!” The girl can be heard telling someone from the phone. “I locked the door.”
As the phone continues, it becomes clear that someone else in the girl’s family has begun to reach out to the dispatch.
“My partner is talking to your sister, and we have an officer arrive, okay honey?” asks Cannard. The girl replies, “Okay.” The call begins to finish.
“Good job, is that okay?” Cannado says. “Okay,” the girl replies, and they both say goodbye when the phone is over.
In a press release, the police department explained that the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Jorge Mendoza Diaz of Westminster, broke the window and entered the home.
Police say the girl’s dad was in the kitchen at the time and confronted the suspect. His father then dragged him out of the house when Pepper sprayed Diaz.
Police say Diaz escaped from the scene and leapt the fence into a nearby residence and hid in the backyard.
Thanks to the courage of the young girl, Westminster Police Department said officers had arrived at the scene within three minutes of the initial call.
The officers established boundaries, discovered Diaz in the neighbour’s backyard and detained him without further incident.
“The Westminster Police Department praised the brave actions of the nine-year-old victim who called 911, stayed calm, provided important information to dispatchers and contributed greatly to the suspect’s timely uncertainty,” WPD said.
Diaz was arrested for robbery and trespassing at a home.
In a department statement, Chief Lenny said: “I am extremely pleased that the actions of both the nine-year-old and her father were able to prevent the situation from becoming more serious. Based on her performance, I am invited to her to grow up and become a member of WPD as either a police officer or a temporary worker.”
Authorities said the attempted robbery appears to be an isolated incident and there is no continuing threat to public safety.
Anyone with additional information is advised to contact Westminster Police Station at 714-898-3315. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or online at www.occrimestoppers.org.
Source link
