North Carolina boy who was home alone stopped a robber using a machete. 11-year-old Braden Smith knows his way around a baseball bat but the little leaguer never would have dreamed those skills would prove useful in a home invasion.
The burglary happened around 11 a.m. Friday, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. A woman knocked on the door of a home off Yarborough Road, near Mebane. Smith, who was home alone at the time, saw a man standing outside near a car.
Police said a second man, identified as Hall, broke a window on the other side of the house and went into the home.
“He turned his back, and I went to get my machete,” Smith said. “I went into the living room and hit him in the back of the head.”
On Monday, WGHP reported Hall left behind DNA evidence when he took off after suffering a head wound.
“I have to protect the house because I knew, if I didn’t protect the house, he would probably take everything,” Smith said. “I just really don’t think you should break into other people’s houses, I mean you can earn money by getting a job.”
The intruder, the woman and a second man standing at a car fled when the intruder realized he was bleeding. Authorities say 19-year-old Jataveon Dashawn Hall faces charges that include kidnapping when he’s released from a hospital.
Police say the burglar was armed with a gun and could have easily harmed the young boy. Thanks to Braden’s quick thinking he protected not only his home but his life.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 1.03 million home invasions occur each year. Surprisingly, most burglaries occur between 10 AM and 3PM. Many homes are empty during this time while people are at work. Burglars know this and use it to their advantage. However, home invasions can occur any time of day or night