DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit man's act of kindness has gone viral after he recorded himself walking a 6-year-old girl to school when he found her walking alone in freezing weather without proper winter clothing.
Joshua Threatt, 36, spotted the child Monday morning walking without a hat or gloves on Detroit's west side. The father decided to escort her 10 blocks to Thirkell Elementary School and documented the encounter on Facebook Live, where the video has since touched tens of thousands of viewers.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report below:
"She was out here walking by herself. How old are you? Six? Man," Threatt said in the video.
Watch the Facebook Live video below. Warning: video contains explicit language:
Threatt said he immediately knew the child needed help when he saw her walking alone in the cold.
"If I was cold, I definitely know she was cold. She had to be freezing no doubt," Threatt said.
As a father himself, Threatt said he thought about his own youngest child, who is the same age as the girl he helped.
"I actually thought about my youngest because my youngest is the same age and I was like this shouldn't be, like somebody needs to be with her," Threatt said.
When they arrived at the school, Threatt made sure to tell staff at the front door exactly what happened. He became emotional during the encounter.
"She's probably scared because she's been walking for about 10 blocks. She's probably scared. So many people just pulled up on that little girl. I am so happy I saved her. I am so happy I saved her," Threatt said.
After the video went viral, Threatt said he spoke with the girl's father.
"We had a good, nice man-to-man talk," Threatt said.
Tiffany Canty, whose children also attend Thirkell Elementary, praised Threatt's actions.
"It's heartbreaking. This is heartbreaking completely," Canty said. "We love you, Black king."
Detroit police confirmed their officers have been in contact with the girl's family and said this is not the first time this has happened to her. Children's Protective Services has also been notified of the situation.
The school district did not respond to requests for comment.
Threatt has a message for all parents following the incident.
"You need to make sure the kid's safety is first and foremost above anything," Threatt said.
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