Dispatcher: Boy Who Called 911 a "Hero"
A 7-year-old boy who called 911 while armed robbers threatened his parents hugged and delivered a high five to the dispatcher who took his call.
The boy, identified only as Carlos, told reporters Wednesday he remained calm during the ordeal because his mother used to make him practice dialing 911 in case of emergencies.
Carlos gave a hug to Los Angeles County Sheriff's dispatcher Monique Patino, who called the boy "my little hero."
The terrified Carlos on Tuesday begged emergency dispatchers to send police to his Southern California home where the robbers were threatenening his parents.
Gunmen broke into Carlos' home Tuesday morning and announced that they would take whatever they wanted, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Steve Kenny said.
Carlos and his 6-year-old sister hid unnoticed in the locked bathroom while the suspects threatened his mother and father at gunpoint.
"There's some guy who's going to kill my mom and dad," he said breathlessly. "Bring cops. A lot of them! ... And soldiers, too."
The suspects eventually broke into the bathroom and someone screamed. The 911 operator sounded shaken as she explained what happened to her colleagues.
Patino, told CBS station KCAL that she thought of her own children during the ordeal.
"You could hear the fear in the kid's voices," she said.
Kenny said the suspects grabbed the boy and asked who he called. He responded, "911." The gunmen fled without taking anything or injuring the family.
"If not for the brave and educated actions of the 7-year-old boy, this might have ended tragically," said sheriff's Capt. Pat Maxwell.
The three men remain at large.