In what police are calling “an unbelievable act of bravery”, a 9-year-old called 911 to report that his mom was drinking and driving while he was in the vehicle. Police would later arrest his mother for impaired driving.
The shocking incident occurred on November 11, 2015 after York Regional Police in Ontario, Canada received a 911 call. Initially, there was no one on the other line and the 911 operator ended up calling back the number. A boy answered the mobile phone and told police that he was in a van with his mom, and his mom had been drinking.
The boy was “clearly scared, clearly shaken up by what was going on,” Const. Andy Pattenden told CBC News. But the operator was able to calm the boy down and he was able to tell the call taker his name, that he was nine, where he was, the description of the van and where he lives.
Eventually, his mother got on the phone and told police that she had just one drink and that she was fine. Although the 911 operator implored the woman to pull over, the woman ignored the advice and hung up the phone.
Fortunately, police were able to locate the woman 10 minutes later and pulled her over and placed her under arrest for Impaired Driving. At police’s district headquarters in Newmarket, the mother took a breath test where she blew more than twice the legal limit for alcohol. She was charged with Impaired Driving and released from custody.
As for her brave son, he was safely turned over to his father and the Children’s Aid Society was contacted.
As much as awareness campaigns and other advertising try to educate the public on the dangers of drinking and driving, the York Regional Police said that they had laid more than 1,500 charges in relation to impaired driving due to alcohol or drugs this year, and that’s just one area!
“We’ve had some real tragedies on the roads in York Region this year as a result of drinking and driving … maybe this nine-year-old boy prevented another tragedy,” said Const. Pattenden.
As heartbreaking as this situation is for the young boy, it’s fortunate for his mother, himself and for other drivers on the road that he had the courage and good sense to act!
Please share this story with your friends and family and remind everyone to put a stop to drinking and driving!
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