Latonya Hart and her 3-year-old granddaughter were pulled to safety through a basement window.
A Missouri police officer’s body cam captured the harrowing moment he pulled a 3-year-old and her grandmother out of a burning house.
Latonya Hart and her 3-year-old granddaughter are recovering in a cramped hotel room after being rescued from their St. Louis home.
"I love you, mister officer," Hart told Officer Rodriguez of the Hazelwood Police Department, according to KMOV. "Thank you. Thank you for helping us."
Rodriguez was the first to arrive on the scene Friday morning when the house was already ablaze.
"[The flames] were pretty high," neighbor Kellie Henry, who dialed 911, told KMOV. "When I first came out of my house, I thought someone was barbecuing because you saw smoke and it was nice out."
When Rodriguez heard cries coming from a basement window, he immediately jumped into action. His body cam captured him kicking in the window, pulling out the 3-year-old and handing the little girl to a neighbor.
Rodriguez then pulled Hart to safety with the help of another neighbor, Alto Gilkey.
"It was like seeing someone cry out for help,” Gilkey told KMOV. “It was the blood inside of me and I could not do anything except help her. I wasn't worried about the fire."
The home Hart once shared with her fiancé, granddaughter and two dogs is now condemned by the fire, and the family is searching for a new place to stay.
But, Hart said she’s grateful for making it out of the ordeal alive.
To support the family, visit their GoFundMe page.
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