On Saturday night, a brave 11-year-old Brooklyn boy became a hero in a way he should never have to. Terrance Allen watched in terror and horror as his mother's live-in boyfriend allegedly attacked her, trying to strangle her. When Terrance's older cousin tried to intervene, the man reportedly turned on her, knocked her to the floor, and began choking her as well. This is when Terrance thought to himself, "I had enough."
Though only 11 years old, Terrance felt he needed to do something to stop the attack on the two women in his life, his mother, 35-year-old Tracy Anderson, and his 27-year-old cousin, Kenyetta Parker. His mother's boyfriend, Timothy Pender, had allegedly been beating his mother up for half an hour. Although terrified, Terrance felt he needed to act. He ran into the kitchen and grabbed a small knife. He then watched the attack unfold more. Says Terrance:
I didn’t say anything. I just stood there for two or three minutes. I wanted to see if he would get off her. But he didn’t. He was choking my cousin. She was punching him, trying to get him off. That’s when I thought -- I had enough.
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So Terrance stabbed the man in the back. He then ran out of the apartment and down the street. A stranger found him, brought him to her apartment, and dialed 911. The cops then came and arrested Pender.
Terrance told the Daily News that he now wants to be a police officer and help "put away people" like Pender, who has been charged with second degree assault.
Terrance's mom is grateful to her son and says, "That's my boy." But no child should ever be put in this position. The trauma that Terrance has just been through cannot be for nothing. For Terrance's mother to truly thank her child, I hope she never lets this creep back into their lives.
What do you think of Terrance's actions?
Image via Alan Cleaver/Flickr
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Comments 137
They are all very lucky to be alive. He could have very easily killed all of them. I hope mom remembers all of this, and kicks his caboose to the curb FOR GOOD!
I'm tired of people blaming the woman for allowing a man to abuse her. The man shouldn't be abusing her in the first place. Also, having a young child at home, did you ever stop to think that maybe he threatened to kill the kid if she called the cops or tried to leave him? Men do that crap all the time and women stay out of FEAR. We don't want to end up dead or have our loved ones end up hurt or dead, so we stay and we tell ourselves that we'll be ok if we just do what we're told. It isn't easy to get away from crazy men like that. They will follow and sometimes when the woman leaves, he finds her and kills her.
horrible, and heroic boy
The comments in this article are appalling. Do you have ANY idea how many women are in prison for finally having to kill their abusers who kept hunting them down? Do you think you can just tell them to leave and they won't kick down the door? If you think the cops will protect you try it and find out. One woman I know called 911 because her husband punched her in the face and broke her nose while she was holding their months old infant. The police ordered HER to leave THEIR house and did nothing to him! Thank God they let her take the baby with her.
Another woman I know divorced her abuser and he beat her so bad he almost killed her - for leaving him! She was in the hospital for a long, long time. They were divorced and there was a restraining order and her family pressed charges. That arrest warrant had just been sitting there for over TEN YEARS when I first met her. Even if the guy is sitting at the next table in the cafe and the family is there and so is the Sheriff when they try to get him to arrest the guy he just grins and says, "We can't find him" when the guy is sitting right there!
If you think a piece of paper will stop a violent psychopath you're the one who is crazy. If you think the law will protect you, consider that law enforcement is full of macho men - many of whom are alley cats and abuse women themselves. If there is a history of abuse and you leave but he comes after you and you defend yourself you are charged with pre-meditated MURDER. So yeah, just keep blaming abused women and telling yourself that could never happen to you. Put the blame where it belongs - on the abusers.