She stared at the door while doing a quick prayer in her mind. She made sure her niece was hidden well behind the toilet. She then crouched down and made herself as small as possible as she hid between the toilet and the bathroom counter.
Source: Relatively Interesting
She could hear him going through the cabinets and drawers in the other room. Then the noise stopped. Soon enough, the heavy footsteps were headed towards them. Then, she remembered something that was in her pocket.
A mother’s dilemma
Yesenia Barragan and her 4-year-old daughter, Zoyee, live in California. Just like any mom, Yesenia can be very protective when it comes to Zoyee. She could not bear the thought of leaving her daughter for a day.
Source: Relatively Interesting
So, when she was told that she was expected to attend a business meeting out of town, she was immediately worried. She was told this was an important meeting so she could not bring Zoyee with her. Yesenia’s heart sank.
An important meeting
Yesenia knew that backing out from this meeting would not look good on her. This was an important meeting. If she goes, she can earn points for a promotion. If she bails, her job can be on the line. She really did not have much of a choice.
Source: Relatively Interesting
As all working mothers know, juggling a full-time job and motherhood is not that easy. Yesenia knew she could go to the meeting and get back home in a few days but still, she knew she could not just leave Zoyee with anyone.
Short notice
Yesenia called her mom, Marie, about her dilemma. Marie could not watch Zoyee because she had worked as well but then she suggested that Savanna should look after her while she was at work and Marie could take over after.
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Savanna is Yesenia’s younger sister – the problem is that she is just 14 years old. And although Yesenia loved her sister, Yesenia had her doubts. She does not think Savanna could handle taking care of a 4-year-old on her own.
She had no choice
Marie reassured Yesenia that Savanna had been babysitting kids in the neighborhood and that she was doing a great job. Savanna would do a better job when it comes to her niece. Yesenia knew that she did not have much of a choice this time on short notice.
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Yesenia reluctantly agreed to have Savanna watch Zoyee for a few days. When Savanna heard about it, she knew this was a big responsibility. Her older sister had always treated her like a child and this was her chance to prove that she was all grown up.
A gut feeling
The next day, Yesenia welcomed them into the house and started showing her little sister where everything was. She gave them a list of emergency numbers and also told her that the neighbors were aware that the girls would be home alone and gave them his number.
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Meanwhile, Marie noticed a car with tinted windows parked across the house as she drove off for work. She suddenly had an uneasy feeling but she shook her head. But she should have listened to her gut feeling – as it turns out, a mother’s instinct is rarely wrong.
A knock on the door
Once Yesenia and Marie left, Savanna asked Zoyee if she wanted to play. Zoyee excitedly showed her all her toys and started to play. After a while, they cuddled up on the couch to watch a movie. For Savanna, it was just another quiet California day.
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Around 3:30 PM, there was a knock on the door. Savanna wondered who it was. Yesenia would be gone for a few days and Marie was not off from work yet. When she took a look through the peephole, she had a feeling that something was wrong.
Stranger danger
There was a man at the other end of the door. She instantly knew that there was something off about him. She crept away from the door slowly, hoping that he would just go away if she ignored him.
Source: Pixabay
The stranger knocked on the door again for a few minutes before it stopped. Savanna let out of a sigh relief thinking it was all over. But to her horror, the doorknob began to rattle. The stranger was now trying to get in.
Looking for a safe space
Savanna was panicking. She has never been in this kind of situation before. She and Zoyee were trapped in the house. If the man wanted to go in, she was sure the man would be able to do so. She only had a few minutes and she had to think fast.
Source: Relatively Interesting
She grabbed Zoyee and they both went to the master’s bedroom. Savanna locked the door behind her. She then looked around the room looking for a place to hide. That’s when she saw the master’s bathroom.
The intruder breaks in
Savanna immediately went inside and locked the master’s bathroom behind her as well. Then, they heard a noise that made Savanna go pale. It was the sound of the front door breaking down. The strange man was now inside the house.
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Savanna took a deep breath. This was really happening. She tried to calm down for Zoyee’s sake. She told Zoyee that they were playing a game. She had to hide behind the toilet and stay as quiet as she can so that the bad man would not find them.
It was only a matter of time
Fortunately, Zoyee was very cooperative. She nodded her head and did as she was told. They could hear the man walking around the house. They could hear him going through the cabinets in the other room. Then, the heavy footsteps were getting closer.
Source: Relatively Interesting
The man was in the hallway again. Savanna knew it was only a matter of time before he’d get to the master’s bedroom. She looked at Zoyee to make sure that she was okay in her hiding place. She then assured her that everything was going to be fine.
Asking for help
Savanna then crouched in front of Zoyee. Savanna swore in her mind that she would not let anything happen to Zoyee. As Savanna crouched down, she felt something press against her thigh. She forgot all about her phone!
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She hurriedly took it out and started to text Marie for help. When Marie read her daughter’s message, she immediately thought of the car with the tinted windows that she saw earlier. She regretted ignoring her gut feeling back then.
A helpless mother
Marie was too far away to do anything from her end. She asked Savanna to call 911 in the meantime. Then Savanna texted back “I don’t want him to hear me. I have Zoyee she can’t get hurt he can’t get her mom.”
Source: Pixabay
Marie knew she was right. It was a huge risk. Also, it may be too late for emergency services if the man is already in the house. Then, Marie remembered something that Yesenia mentioned earlier. She hurriedly searched her pocket for the emergency list.
Intruder gets spooked
Marie texted Savanna that she called the neighbor and 911. And true enough, it was not long after that Savanna heard knocking downstairs and another man’s voice. Savanna figured out that it was the neighbor.
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Savanna pressed her ears to the door. It looks like the intruder got spooked and ran down the stairs. The neighbor yelled at him and it looked like the neighbor tried to catch him. Savanna drew a deep breath and waited.
They were safe
After a few minutes, the neighbor called out to Savanna that it was safe for them to come out now. Savanna and Zoyee went out of the master’s bedroom and found the neighbor in the hallway. He said that the intruder ran past him on the stairs.
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A few minutes later, the police arrived on the scene. They found that the man was only able to ransack two rooms in the house before he left and ran away. They had a K-9 dog with them and they tried to see if he could pick up the scent of the intruder.
Still at large
The dog started barking and the Montclair police did an extensive search for the invader in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, they were not able to catch the intruder. But everyone was relieved that the intruder was not able to discover that the girls were home.
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It did not take long for Marie to arrive on the scene. A few hours later, Yesenia also rushed home. Marie and Yesenia were very proud of how Savanna handled the situation. “She was very smart and brave. She did everything right.” Yesenia said.
Mixed feelings
Despite everyone telling her that she did a good job, Savanna still had mixed feelings about it. She is still processing what happened, which was understandable. What she had just experienced at such a young age can be traumatic.
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Savanna’s main concern is that the home intruder is still out there. In an interview with a local news station, she says she is going through a range of emotions. “Relief, and then knowing that he’s still out there, I don’t know, scary.”
Ongoing manhunt
The Montclair police are still on the lookout for this home invader based on the description the neighbor and Savanna gave. It was a good thing the neighbor was able to see him because Savanna could not give a thorough description.
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They tried to reassure Savanna not to worry about it. They are confident that the intruder would not go back to the scene of the crime any time soon. They told her that she was a very brave girl and did a good job of protecting her niece.
The brave babysitter
It was not only the police that commended her. The local news station picked up the story and featured it. Soon enough, the entire community was admiring the brave 14-year-old babysitter who was willing to risk her life for her niece.
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Needless to say, after everything that had happened, Yesenia saw Savanna in a new light. She now saw that her younger sister is truly mature enough and that she could trust her with Zoyee’s life anytime. Savanna just earned the right to be Zoyee’s official babysitter.
The importance of security
Savanna’s story is a valuable lesson for any young babysitter. Always bring your phone with you, do not engage a stranger, and remain calm so that you can think of the best way to keep you and the kid safe.
Source: Relatively Interesting
It also highlights the need to increase security measures in households. You do not have to install a complicated security system. A simple camera is already a big help when it comes to identifying home intruders like this one.