Officers Save Boy with Down Syndrome Locked in Attic by Mom—6 Years Later He Pays Them a Visit

When law enforcement found Govi in an attic, he was wholly emaciated to the point where one Sergeant said he looked like he could have been in a concentration camp. Six years later, and these officers couldn't believe their eyes.

In 2010, 6-year-old Giovanni "Govi" Eastwood's mother, Rachel Perez, was taken into custody from her home for neglected warrants. Although officers on the scene noted the stench of feces and urine, the mom did not mention her son with Down Syndrome, who was nowhere to be seen.

Following this, Govi's great-grandmother became worried when law enforcement put her grandson's two siblings in her care without him present. She let law enforcement know, and upon searching through the house, they heard slight sounds emanating from the attic.

A TRAUMATIZING SIGHT

What they discovered was heartbreaking and shocking. Sergeant John Klingele, the officer who pulled the young boy out of the attic, recollected:

“He looked like a kid out of a concentration camp, skin and bones. We were told he was going to be 7 and size-wise he looked 3 maybe.”

The 6-year-old weighed only 17 pounds and couldn't walk, barely talked, and was covered in excrement. The Sergeant believes that Giovanni's mother put him in there to hide him away.

THE AFTERMATH

Perez is currently imprisoned for almost a decade for the attempted murder of her son. As for Govi and his two siblings, 8-year-old Brandee and 5-year-old Angel, they were eventually taken in and adopted by their great aunt and uncle, Stacy and Joe Eastwood.

The little one had a challenging time trying to overcome the trauma of what he went through, choosing to sleep on the floor and fearing that he would get hit every time someone wanted to give him a high five. Eventually, however, he recovered and made a complete transformation.

A METAMORPHOSIS

The officers who saved him certainly noticed this extreme and positive change when the 12-year-old boy visited them in 2016 at the Sherrif's Department. Sergeant Klingele expressed:

“That boy is the hero. Seeing how big his heart is and his smile is… It’s really good to see him.”

Sergeant Brent Moore, who was also on scene, said that the boy who visited them looked and seemed nothing like the 6-year-old they rescued.

Govi was made an honorary deputy, and according to his aunt, she found him sleeping with the plaque that night.

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AN AMAZING CHILD

Stacy only has beautiful and complimentary things to say about her nephew. Commenting on his character, the great aunt said:

“The kid is magical. Everybody he comes in contact with, he just brings out a better person in them.”

It is a true relief that these officers managed to save this young boy's life as, if they had not, the earth would indeed be missing a shining beam of light.

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