Orlando waitress rescues abused child with handwritten note

An 11-year-old child was seated at one of her tables in the Orlando, FL restaurant where she works. She overheard him being told he couldn't order anything. She also noticed bruise marks on his face and arms.

According to local outlet WFTV-9, that's when she came up with a plan.

She wrote "Do you need help?" on a piece of paper and held it up to the boy where only he could see it. On the third time raising up the paper, the boy nodded yes, and she immediately called the police.

The boy confessed at that time that his stepfather had been physically abusing him, as well as withholding food as punishment.

This prompted police to arrest and charge both Timothy Wilson and Kristen Swann, the child's respective step-father and mother.

Wilson is being charged with multiple counts of aggravated child abuse and neglect, and Swann is facing two counts of neglect for their actions, and lack thereof.

Local police praised Carvalho's initiative in a statement:

"By saying something when she saw something, Ms. Carvalho displayed courage and care for a child she had never even met before, and we’re proud someone like Ms. Carvalho lives and works in our community."