A Grand Rapids, Michigan, man selflessly rescued a toddler from the bitter cold over the weekend. Gabe Botello, who works at a pizza shop, was on a delivery run around 3 a.m. Sunday when he spotted a very young girl alone in the cold. A father of seven himself, Botello knew that he had to help the child, who appeared to be lost.
After completing his delivery, Botello, went back to pick up the child but couldn't find her, according to Fox 17. He searched for the child around a parking lot near Downtown Market. He couldn't find her, but he was determined to get her to safety and continued his search.
The child disappeared in a matter of seconds.
Botello told Fox 17 that when he first saw the girl, he was completing his delivery. He knew he had to act fast.
"I had people's food, so I ran to the door and I gave them their food," Botello said. "I went back looking for her [and] I didn't find her, so I got in my car, I drove around for a minute. I didn't find her [so] I started pulling into parking lots."
When he found the child, she was shivering with barely any clothes on.
According to Grand Rapids police, the child, who they believe is about 3 years old, was curled up between cement blocks at a factory downtown, per Fox 17. She was wearingly only a T-shirt, socks, and a diaper. When Botello finally got to her, he wrapped her in his hoodie and called 911.
"I had some water in my car, so she was drinking some water and I was just kind of like rubbing her back, letting her know she was okay and she started falling asleep," Botello told the news outlet. "She was so just like exhausted and cold."
Police quickly made contact with the child's mother.
According to police, the child's mother thought her little girl was sleeping and had no idea she had gotten out of the house. No one knows how long she was out in the cold, but police believe it was an accident.
Botello agreed and hoped the parents weren't too hard on themselves.
"I don't think it was anything purposeful, nobody just lets a little kid out. It's just sad," he said via Fox 17. "I just tried to do what I could. I assume somebody would do the same for my kids."
Botello hopes this will encourage others to help if they see someone in need.
We are living in times when people may walk away from a potentially scary or dangerous situation because they don't want to get involved. Botello said he wants others to think about the consequences of what may happen if they choose not to help.
"Sometimes you want to turn a blind eye but, you just never know [who] you're saving," Botello explained. "Anybody could have picked up that little girl. In the middle of Ionia and Wealthy is not the best part of Grand Rapids, there's a lot of foot traffic over there, so, you know, I'm just glad she made it home. I'm glad she's okay."
Another Michigan child died earlier this year after he wandered out alone.
On January 23, a 5-year-old boy from Clinton Township left his home in a T-shirt and underwear, according to Local 4. His mother told police he had autism and that she last saw him around 10 p.m., when she put him to bed. When police were unable to find him at the family's apartment complex, they searched a nearby park, where they discovered his body in a playground near a jungle gym and basketball court.
