Waitress Recalls Moment She Saved 11-Year-Old Boy From Abusive Stepfather

A waitress has opened up about the heart-stopping moment when her quick thinking saved an 11-year-old boy from his abusive stepfather.

Timothy Lee Wilson, 36, was found guilty of multiple counts of child abuse on Monday (6 June).

The abuse involved isolating and starving the boy, hanging him upside down, and forcing him to partake in exercises reminiscent of military drills. 

Flaviane Carvalho was working at a restaurant known as Mrs Potato in Orlando, Florida, on New Year’s Day 2021 when she noticed bruises on the child. 

"I could see he had a big scratch between his eyebrows," she said at a press conference in 2021, Fox 32 reports. 

"Couple of minutes later, I saw a bruise on the side of his eye. So I felt there was something really wrong."

The waitress added at the time that the boy seemed ‘secluded’ from his fellow diners. 

She then acted on her instincts and showed the boy a sign that read: “Do you need help?”

He proceeded to nod, and she called the emergency services. 

"I was used like a tool from God to help him," she told NBC.

"We need to pay attention for the ones that are in need, and step forward to do something to change the situation."

Wilson was arrested along with the child's mother, Kristen Swann, who was charged with two counts of child neglect.

Orlando police chief Orlando Rolon said at the time that without Carvalho, it is likely that the boy would have continued to suffer - and could well have been murdered.

He said: "We probably would’ve been talking about a potential homicide investigation if she had not intervened when she did."

GoFundMe

The police chief continued: "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.”

Wilson will be sentenced for on 19 August. 

In an effort to recognise Carvalho’s actions, her boss set up a GoFundMe to 'support and reward our hero'.

It was there that Carvalho reacted to the result of Wilson’s trial and said: "Justice served!!"