In 2010, a boy with Down syndrome was found in his family’s attic, where he had been starved and neglected by the person who was supposed to take care of him.
Giovanni “Govi” Eastwood was only 6 years old at that time, but he weighed as much as a three-year-old.
His mom, Rachel Perez, had been arrested for some legal issues, and the police found her other kids and took them to safety, but Govi was left in the attic of their Kansas home.
“She (Perez) made up a story about where Govi was,” said Sergeant John Klingele, who found the boy. “So they all left, and Govi was still there.”
The officers suspected that Govi was still in the house and went back to check. After calling out to him, they finally discovered he was in the attic.
“He looked like a kid from a concentration camp, just skin and bones,” Klingele remembered when he first saw Govi. “We were told he was going to be 7, but he looked more like 3 in size.”
Govi weighed only 17 pounds, couldn’t walk, barely spoke, and was covered in waste.
Because he was starved of nutrients, he had lost hair, his bones were weak and bent from rickets, and the fat on his bottom had disappeared. Medical staff said Govi wouldn’t have survived much longer if he hadn’t been rescued that night, according to the Kansas City Star.
There were no blankets or toys; the boy had just been left there, and authorities thought his mother hid him away.
Perez is now serving an eight-year prison sentence for attempted murder due to how she treated her child.
Six years later, the officers who found Govi that day met him again and couldn’t believe how much he had changed.
Govi and his two sisters were taken in and adopted by their great aunt and uncle, Stacy and Joe Eastwood. At first, Govi had a tough time recovering; he would only sleep on the floor and was scared he would get hit whenever someone tried to give him a high five. But now, he feels safe and loved by his new family.
“The kid is magical. He brings out the best in everyone he meets,” Eastwood said.
The officers who rescued him definitely saw the positive change in the 12-year-old when he visited the Sherriff’s Department in 2016. There, he was made an honorary deputy and received a plaque.
Govi shook hands with the officers and thanked them for saving him that day.
“That boy is the hero. It’s amazing to see how big his heart is and how bright his smile is… It’s really great to see him,” Klingele said.
According to his great aunt, Govi slept with his special plaque that night.
It’s beyond belief that a parent could treat their child this way. I thank God he was found when he was and is now in the loving home he so truly deserves. Please share.
