A quick-thinking bus driver is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a young child wandering alone and barefoot in the middle of a busy Florida street.
Barbara Baker, a grandmother and Route 12 driver in Tampa, spotted the child—dressed in pajamas—just after 7 a.m. on Aug. 31, according to video shared by the Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART).
“Oh my God, look at the baby out there by himself,” Baker can be heard saying in the footage. She immediately stopped the bus and rushed to the child, urging, “Come here, baby,” before scooping him up.
Since the boy couldn’t communicate where he lived, Baker carried him back onto the bus and contacted HART operations while waiting for police to arrive, telling passengers, “Give me one second, please.”
Bus driver Barbara Baker rescued a young boy who was wandering alone in the street in Tampa.
In video footage, the child can be heard saying, “Mama,” though his exact age was not immediately clear.
Baker held him on her hip and spoke to him soothingly while they waited for help to arrive.
Hero Bus Driver Rescues Young Child Wandering Alone in Tampa Street
A quick-thinking bus driver is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a young boy who was wandering barefoot and alone in the middle of a busy Tampa street.
Barbara Baker, a grandmother and Route 12 driver, spotted the child—dressed in pajamas—just after 7 a.m. on Aug. 31, according to video shared by the Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART).
“Oh my God, look at the baby out there by himself,” Baker can be heard saying in the footage. She immediately stopped the bus, rushed to the child, and scooped him up, returning to the bus with him in her arms. The boy, who could be heard calling out “Mama,” was unable to communicate where he lived.
Baker held him on her hip, speaking to him soothingly while contacting HART operations and waiting for police to arrive.
After knocking on doors in the neighborhood, police located the boy’s mother within 20 minutes. The family lived just 2½ blocks away from where the child had been found.
In an interview with HART following the incident, Baker said her “heart dropped” as soon as she saw the boy in the street.
“When the police came, it’s like I almost wanted to cry because I thought about my grandbabies, and I’m like, ‘Oh, cars [are] passing, and nobody is helping this baby in the road,’” she said.
Baker admitted that recalling the incident still makes her emotional. “But knowing that the baby is home — that’s a big thing for me,” she added.
Hero Bus Driver Rescues Young Child Wandering Alone in Tampa Street
A quick-thinking bus driver is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a young boy who was wandering barefoot and alone in the middle of a busy Tampa street.
Barbara Baker, a grandmother and Route 12 driver, spotted the child—dressed in pajamas—just after 7 a.m. on Aug. 31, according to video shared by the Hillsborough Transit Authority (HART).
“Oh my God, look at the baby out there by himself,” Baker can be heard saying in the footage. She immediately stopped the bus, rushed to the child, and scooped him up, returning to the bus with him in her arms. The boy, who could be heard calling out “Mama,” was unable to communicate where he lived.
Baker held him on her hip, speaking to him soothingly while contacting HART operations and waiting for police to arrive. After knocking on doors in the neighborhood, officers located the boy’s mother within 20 minutes. The family lived just 2½ blocks away from where the child had been found.
“When the police came, it’s like I almost wanted to cry because I thought about my grandbabies,” Baker said. “But knowing that the baby is home — that’s a big thing for me.”
In a video posted on Facebook, HART praised Baker, saying, “Transit workers do more than drive — they safeguard the community every mile of the way.” HART CEO Scott Drainville added, “Operator Baker’s courage and attentiveness exemplify the dedication and heart that define our team.” The agency trains its operators to stay vigilant and remain “situationally aware” for lost children, human trafficking, and other safety concerns.
Baker first started working for HART in 2005, later drove trucks, and returned to the agency in 2012, where she has worked for the past 14 years.
Social media users applauded her heroic actions. “You’re a true hero, Ms. Baker!” one woman wrote on Facebook. Another added, “You are indeed what we need more of — unselfish, caring individuals who care about their community.”
