Florida police respond to a domestic dispute call, but when they arrive on scene, they see a child at the window holding a sign: ‘Help us’

A child who held a sign that read “Help us” up to a window so officers could see it has been praised by Florida police. The child was credited with helping the cops to get them and other family members out of the house safely after they were called to the location regarding a domestic disturbance.

Police responded to the incident in Kissimmee, Florida, on October 26. According to KCTV 5, the officers had been called out to a domestic disturbance involving Andre Janard Smithson, 33, at the Florida Ridge Condos. A woman inside had reportedly told her sister that Smithson had beaten her, according to an arrest affidavit. 

A family member subsequently told police about the domestic disturbance and claimed that there were children inside the home and that they feared for their safety.

Police arrived at the scene and used a drone to locate three children hiding in a guest room in the house. One of the children had made a handwritten note reading “Help us,” which they were seen holding up to the window. An image, shared by the KPD on Facebook, showed the child, with their face obscured, holding up the makeshift sign at the window.

The police drone was also used to locate Smithson and the alleged victim in the house’s master bedroom, along with their five-month-old baby.

Police praised the child’s bravery

Smithson reportedly spoke with officers via phone and allegedly refused repeated requests to let the victim and the children hiding inside out of the home. A SWAT team and crisis negotiators were also present on scene.

A statement released on the Kissimmee Police Department’s Facebook page confirmed that “the children were able to safely escape the residence” while police distracted the alleged suspect, Smithson. The child who held the sign up to the window was also praised for “bravely” holding up the sign that helped police to get them and the other children out of the house.

Officers were eventually able to get Smithson to surrender to the authorities. According to the Facebook statement, “Smithson eventually surrendered peacefully.” He was later arrested on charges of false imprisonment as well as an outstanding active warrant.

Smithson also reportedly told officers at the scene that he had wanted to spend some time with his infant daughter before he went to jail. The KPD Facebook post also praised Kissimmee officers for their “excellent teamwork,” and for “bringing this situation to a peaceful resolution.”