Terrified 7-year-old hiding in bathroom calls 911 and says, 'Bring cops, lots of them' — it saved his parents from robbers

The boy tried to explain his dangerous situation as best as he could and he did a top-notch job in saving his family.

PUBLISHED MAY 28, 2025

(L) Boy using a mobile phone in his bedroom. (R) A robber waiting to invade a house. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | Kampus Production and Evan Velez Saxer)

Quick and smart action often leads to the most unimaginable rescue. Even when it seems like it's small or insignificant, it can make a shocking and life-saving difference. 7-year-old Carlos exhibited astute action that ended up saving his entire family from robbers, per ABC News. The little boy didn’t hesitate to be brave and find refuge in a bathroom before he dialed 911 and communicated to the best of his ability to request help. The young man is being hailed a hero by the dispatchers, his family and even the internet. According to Safe and Sound Security, around 1.5 million home invasions take place every year.

Masked suspicious man in black looking strangely. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Anna Shvets)

Around 58% of these invasions are carried out during the daytime, causing threats to families along with much loss and damage. Carlos was at home with his parents and little sister when three gunmen barged into his home. The men took control of the parents and before they could get to Carlos, the 7-year-old grabbed his little sister and a phone and ran to the bathroom. He locked himself inside and quickly dialed 911. Given the situation, the boy did his best to communicate with the dispatcher. "There are some guys," he began. He added whatever he understood from the scenario.

Strange man loading gun inside car. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Koolshooters)

"They're going to kill my mom and dad, can you come please... Can you come really fast? Please, please,” he remarked. The little boy had already done a great deal so far. He managed to escape, protect his little sister and request urgent help from the authorities. The dispatcher, Monique Patino, used her skill to calm the boy down and assure help was on the way. As a mom to two kids, her heart was deep in worry, per Mercury News. "Every call is different, but this one was the most horrific for me. I got really shaken up,” she recounted.

Young boy hiding and speaking on phone. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Towfiqu Barbhuiya)

Carlos’ sister screamed after a while and the attackers found them. However, the 7-year-old stayed on the line with the dispatcher even then. “Just hearing them scream and crying for help, I just felt their fear through the phone,” the dispatcher remarked. Taking a confident step and doing the bravest thing he knew to do, he let them know that he was on the line with 911 and that the cops were on their way. To his luck, the attackers immediately fled, leaving the family unharmed and not taking away a single thing with them. Carlos met Patino later and was delighted that everything ended on a positive note.

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When asked how the dispatcher helped, he confidently responded, “Bringing the cops here ... lots of cops... Thank you, Monique." “I said he was very brave and I’m very proud of what he did,” Patino said. Several people, including Lieutenant Al Reyes of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said that “what the boy did was remarkable.” Sergeant Douglas Jensen added that for a boy his age, his instinct was fabulous. “I’m still astounded by his mindset. To be able to think about getting his sister, grabbing his phone, locking himself in a bathroom and calling 911. It shows so much,” he exclaimed.