A young child in Iowa has been praised for their quick thinking after a handwritten note helped save their mother from a violent situation.

According to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, the first-grade student from Sumner-Fredericksburg School got on their school bus on the morning of Wednesday (24 September) carrying a message from their mother.

At 7:24am, the child handed the note to the bus driver. It contained just two words: “Call 911.”

The driver immediately alerted authorities, who rushed to the family’s home in rural Westgate, Iowa. There, deputies discovered that the child’s mother had been held against her will by 29-year-old Glenroy Stefand Miller, News 13 reports.

Miller was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including domestic abuse assault, kidnapping, and obstructing emergency communication after allegedly taking the victim’s phone.

Investigators later revealed that the victim had been assaulted throughout the night, suffering two broken ribs and a punctured lung. The Sheriff’s Office said Miller also threatened to kill her, at one point holding a knife to her throat and wrists.

In a statement posted to Facebook, the Sheriff’s Office said: “At one point Miller started to take her to the hospital and then turned around and forced her home after realizing he would go to jail if he did. Miller continued to assault the victim throughout the night, causing serious injuries and threatened to kill her.”

Court records show Miller is being held on a $1,500 bond, CBS 2 details. He is also detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as he is originally from the Bahamas.

While the investigation continues, officials and locals alike have commended the child’s bravery. By carrying their mother’s note onto the school bus, the student gave deputies the chance to intervene – a decision authorities say may have saved her life.