Neighbor scales roof to save toddler

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Niagara Falls police and firefighters are hailing a city resident as a hero, for saving his neighbors' baby boy.

The man, Antwan Moore, happened to be outside his 20th Street house when he noticed the 18-month-old child on the roof of a home across the street.

Police say the little boy climbed out an open second-floor window, onto the sloped roof over the porch.

Moore scrambled up the porch posts to get to the child, while his girlfriend called 911, just before 10:00 a.m. Thursday.

"He is the true hero in this situation. He made our job very easy," said Niagara Falls Fire Capt. Gary Carella. "He secured the child, kept him safe, and did all things that you could ask a neighbor to do."

Rookie firefighter, Earl Bass, who was the first rescuer to reach Moore and the boy, gave all the credit to Moore.

"The hard stuff was already done. Antwan did everything...he's the one who is the true hero. I mean, to go up without a ladder, and to get up there and secure that child the way that he did... I tip my hat to him," Bass told reporters.

Inside the house, police found the boy's 4-year-old sister and the children's father, 26-year-old Johnathan David Fuhrman. Fuhrman was asleep on the couch, and unresponsive.

When police finally roused him, Fuhrman said he'd been watching TV with his children, and fell asleep.

The children's mother was at work at the time, police said.

Fuhrman is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He has been arraigned and released on $1,000 bail.

Both children were taken to the hospital to be checked out and found to be okay.

Moore will likely be honored with citizen accommodation awards, from both the Niagara Falls Police and Fire Departments.

"If we had more people like that watching out for other people," Niagara Falls Police Capt. Joseph Casale remarked, "the community would be a better place."