12-year-old hero rescues toddler locked in hot car

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By VT

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A 12-year-old boy is being hailed a hero for rescuing a 2-year-old boy who was locked in a car on a hot summer's day.

Ben Theriot, who hails from Tulsa, Oklahoma, came to the rescue with a ratchet strap from his mother's car, and a part from a clothes rack to break the windshield of the vehicle. He then crawled inside and unlocked the car to get the toddler out.

"I started hitting the side window, didn’t bust, bent it pretty badly," the youngster told the New York Post. "I started hitting the side window, didn’t bust, bent it pretty badly," he continued.

"I swung over my shoulder, hit it right in the center. And then I hit it a couple more times and then I climbed on the windshield. I stomped on it and then it cracked pretty badly again. Then, the lady went and grabbed that hanger thing and then I put the hook into the windshield and pulled it out. And then I unlocked it."

Watch an interview with Theriot
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/kjGmceW7-izxriqNH.mp4||kjGmceW7]]

Law enforcement said that the child was red-faced and in a little distress, but otherwise fine. He was assessed by paramedics at the scene, and did not have to go to hospital.

Tulsa police told FOX 23 that Tuesday's heat index was 116 degrees.

Police found the toddler's mother shopping and issued her with a $250 fine under the Forget Me Not law.

Investigators have been looking into the woman's story, as she said that it was an accident, and claimed that she thought another adult was watching the child. Police then proceeded to question why the car was not running and had its doors locked.

The mother was not arrested as the child was not seriously hurt, which is essential when making a case for child neglect.

Per local law enforcement, the child remains with his mother, but there will be a Department of Human Services investigation.

12-year-old hero rescues toddler locked in hot car

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

A 12-year-old boy is being hailed a hero for rescuing a 2-year-old boy who was locked in a car on a hot summer's day.

Ben Theriot, who hails from Tulsa, Oklahoma, came to the rescue with a ratchet strap from his mother's car, and a part from a clothes rack to break the windshield of the vehicle. He then crawled inside and unlocked the car to get the toddler out.

"I started hitting the side window, didn’t bust, bent it pretty badly," the youngster told the New York Post. "I started hitting the side window, didn’t bust, bent it pretty badly," he continued.

"I swung over my shoulder, hit it right in the center. And then I hit it a couple more times and then I climbed on the windshield. I stomped on it and then it cracked pretty badly again. Then, the lady went and grabbed that hanger thing and then I put the hook into the windshield and pulled it out. And then I unlocked it."

Watch an interview with Theriot
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/kjGmceW7-izxriqNH.mp4||kjGmceW7]]

Law enforcement said that the child was red-faced and in a little distress, but otherwise fine. He was assessed by paramedics at the scene, and did not have to go to hospital.

Tulsa police told FOX 23 that Tuesday's heat index was 116 degrees.

Police found the toddler's mother shopping and issued her with a $250 fine under the Forget Me Not law.

Investigators have been looking into the woman's story, as she said that it was an accident, and claimed that she thought another adult was watching the child. Police then proceeded to question why the car was not running and had its doors locked.

The mother was not arrested as the child was not seriously hurt, which is essential when making a case for child neglect.

Per local law enforcement, the child remains with his mother, but there will be a Department of Human Services investigation.