6-Year-Old Calls 911, Saves Father

Police arrived to find boy's father almost unconscious and an elderly man dead

An elderly man was found dead and a father barely conscious after a 6-year-old boy dialed 911 in Sunrise Wednesday afternoon.

Sunrise Police swarmed 7011 NW 25th Street around 11:30 a.m. after getting the call from the boy, who told the operator his dad was on the floor.

Neighbor Mary Ann Tawfik, who lives across the street, came outside after hearing the commotion caused by police cars and sirens.

"I saw police and the fire department, they seemed a little panicky, so I didn't know what was going on," Tawfik said. "I saw the police run out and knocking on the door - and I believe they broke the door down."

They did.

The 6-year-old boy was unable to open the door for authorities, said Sgt. Rodney Hailey with the Sunrise Police Department.

His dad, whose name was not released, was nearly passed out inside and the elderly man, who police identified as the boy's grandfather, was found dead in a bedroom.

"I've lived here for 10 years so I do know the grandfather," Tawfik said. "My husband actually talked to him more than I did, so it's really upsetting."

Initially, carbon monoxide was thought to be the cause, but firefighters on the scene ruled the silent, odorless killer out. That's when the crime scene unit arrived.

The crime scene unit left about an hour after it arrived on scene, but detectives stayed on scene throughout the day.

"I've never seen anything like this," another neighbor said. "Nothing like this ever happens around here."

Police are still looking for the boy's mother or any other relatives.

With no obvious signs of foul play in the elderly man's death, police are hoping the little boy and his father - once he feels better - will be able to help with the investigation, Hailey said.

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