Around 9:30 p.m., I responded to a silent 911 call traced to a small home where a barefoot boy named Mateo, clutching a phone, told me he and his little sister hadn’t eaten all day. Their mother, who worked multiple jobs, was gone since morning. The house was clean but nearly empty of food.
I called for help, not enforcement. Soon, paramedic Rosa arrived with sandwiches and warmth. Mateo, only eight, made sure his sister Sofia was fed before himself. That night, we stayed until their mother was located—working at a diner, unaware her phone had been left at home. Social services were informed, and community support options were shared with her.