Three-year-old Ethan had quite the adventure at a shopping center in Australia when he decided to crawl up into a Hello Kitty claw machine on Saturday. Queensland Police were called in to rescue the adventurous toddler, who quickly became the star of a heartwarming and entertaining rescue operation. A video released by the police department shows Ethan calmly sitting inside the machine surrounded by the plush Hello Kitty toys as his parents and a few officers discuss how to safely get him out.
In the video, Ethan can be seen sitting inside the claw machine tapping on the glass windows, seemingly unbothered by the situation. However, for his parents and the police officers, it was a different story. As they tried to figure out how to safely remove Ethan from the machine, they realized that it was made out of glass and that breaking it could potentially harm the toddler. They asked Ethan’s father, Timothy Hopper, if he could direct his son to crawl towards his mother who was on the other side of the machine.
As the rescue operation continued, Ethan’s father joked with him, asking him to pick a prize from the machine. The police officers realized that breaking the glass was the only way to safely remove Ethan from the machine. One of the officers asked the toddler to cover his eyes as he broke one side of the glass window. Ethan then crawled towards his father, who picked him up and carried him to safety.
According to Hopper, Ethan loves claw machines and never misses an opportunity to play with them. He also added that his son quickly took advantage of the open flap and crawled into the machine. Luckily, Ethan was unharmed and remained calm throughout the ordeal. As a parent, Hopper couldn’t help but imagine what his son would do in such a situation. The police officers also shared the sentiment, with one of the officers saying that his own four-year-old son would probably do something similar.
The rescue video quickly went viral, with people praising the police officers for their quick thinking and efficient rescue operation. Many viewers also couldn’t help but smile at Ethan’s adventurous spirit and his cute reaction when he saw the glass window breaking. The police department tweeted about the incident, saying, “Ethan and the Police: 1 Claw Machine: 0.” The tweet also included a hashtag that read, “Kids will be kids,” reminding everyone that children are curious and bound to get into mischief from time to time.
As for Ethan, the experience probably made for a great story to tell his friends and family. As the police officers broke the glass window, Ethan remained calm and collected, continuing to explore the inside of the machine. He later emerged from the machine with a smile on his face, happily choosing a toy as his prize. His parents, on the other hand, were probably relieved to have their son back on solid ground.
