A dash cam captured the heart-stopping moment a toddler ran into traffic on a busy highway. The child, who police said "escaped his mother's watchful eye", was spotted by a vigilant police officer who ran after him and managed to scoop him up to safety. The police officer was awarded for his heroic actions.
On Facebook, Illinois' Naperville Police Department wrote that last month a child "escaped his mother's watchful eye" and was found running on a busy highway by Sgt. Anthony Mannino.
In dash cam footage posted online, the child can be seen running along the highway as big trucks and other cars whiz by. The police officer immediately pulled over - placing his car between the child and traffic - got out and started running after the boy. It took a few seconds for him to catch up to the child. After a few seconds of speaking to him, the officer bent down and picked up the little boy and carried him to safety. The boy was eventually reunited with his mother.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
"On June 7, Sgt. Mannino was presented the department's Life Saving Award," Naperville Police Department wrote on Facebook.
Watch the video below:
"My heart stopped watching this. Thank God for this officer being in the right place at the right time. How come no other cars stopped?!" asked one person on Facebook. "That's amazing! Hero for sure... what amazed me is how quickly he went to calm the child! "It's okay, it's okay!" Incredible," noted another.
"That poor baby. Thank God for that cop being there... I wonder where are his parents?" asked a third.
Another person joked: "My two year old son was an escape artist... he's now in his 30's. We both survived... my hair is also snow white."Click for more
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