The employees at this McDonald’s location had been going about work as usual on Christmas Eve of 2019. They took orders and gave the patrons their food as usual. The truth is that the staff members do not usually think much of any vehicle that comes through the drive-thru since so many people pass by every single day. However, they saw something in the driver’s seat that made them worried when this particular car came in. The employees could tell that there was something wrong. It was a good thing that they sprang into action right away!
McDonald’s Employees Knew That They Had To Something About The Woman Acting Suspicious At The Drive-Thru
Counting Down The Hours
If you have ever had to work on the day before Christmas, you probably counted down until you can go home at last. This story took place at a McDonald’s location in Lodi, California. As you might have guessed, the staff could not wait for the end of their shift. However, things took a shocking turn in the middle of it. Needless to say, none of them ever saw what was coming.
Counting Down The Hours
Just Another Customer To Them
The story starts when a woman entered the fast-food restaurant and went up to the counter. It was early afternoon. The workers had no reason to believe that she was anything more than just another customer. However, this did turn out to be the case. But what exactly was so different about her?
Just Another Customer To Them
She Had A Special Request
Before she went to the bathroom, she first asked the employees of the McDonald’s to call emergency services. After some time, she went back to the car and entered the drive-thru of the restaurant. When she reached the window, she once again implied that there was something wrong. Fortunately, the staff did not waste any time before they sprang into action!
She Had A Special Request
The Golden Arches
When you are hungry, you probably have to resist the temptation to go to a nearby McDonald’s. A lot of people do this when they are looking to eat something quick. A 2012 report by Business Insider said that the company sold over 75 burgers per second across the globe! Of course, Americans are huge fans of the fast-food chain.
The Golden Arches
Not Your Usual McDonald’s Fare
If you ever find yourself in the United States, you are going to find McDonald’s stores no matter where you look. As a matter of fact, there were over 14,000 McDonald’s locations across the country in 2019. However, the fast-food chain offers something outside the usual menu in different parts of California.
Not Your Usual McDonald’s Fare
The Safe Place Project
It turns out that certain McDonald’s branches in the state are involved in something called the “Safe Place” initiative. You are going to find these locations in places like Sacramento and Amador. For context, the story unfolded in San Joaquin County, which is also part of this project. But what exactly does it entail?
The Safe Place Project
Where It All Started
This initiative goes all the way back in 1983. It has its origins at a YMCA facility located in Louisville, Kentucky. At the time, it was called “Project Safe Place.” The target of the scheme is none other than young people in need. After a little while, the project eventually resulted in a charity by the name of National Safe Place.
Where It All Started
Expanding Across The Nation
In the following years, the project began to spread to different parts of the country as well. As of 2019, 40 states already host “Safe Places.” But what are they even supposed to be for? Allow us to tell you what the National Safe Place says about itself on the official website of the project.
Expanding Across The Nation
What It Is
On its website, the charity says, “Safe Place is a national youth outreach and prevention program for young people under the age of 18 (up to 21 years of age in some communities) in need of immediate help and safety. As a collaborative community prevention initiative, Safe Place designates businesses and organizations as Safe Place locations.”
What It Is
A Variety Of Locations
“[This makes] help readily available to youth in communities across the country,” National Safe Place went on. “Safe Place locations include libraries, YMCAs, fire stations, public buses, various businesses, and social service facilities.” Each of those venues also features a yellow and black sign that simply reads “Safe Place.”
A Variety Of Locations
Helping Thousands Of Youngsters
It is believed that there are now over 22,000 Safe Places across the country. In turn, these places have helped many young people over the years. According to the website, over 1,400 local communities have taken part in the projects of National Safe Place as well. We are glad that people are willing to help!
Helping Thousands Of Youngsters
Learning About The Initiative
“Most young people hear about Safe Place during school or community presentations where Safe Place information cards are distributed,” said National Safe Place. It went on, “These cards have the local Safe Place phone number and [explain] that Safe Place help is free and confidential. Youth also hear about the program through word of mouth, social media, and public service announcements on radio or TV.”
Learning About The Initiative
The Protocols
At any rate, various steps are taken when a young person first steps into a Safe Place. When they ask the people working there for help, they are brought to a different part of the building that would ensure that they are out of harm’s way. After that, it is time for the employees to make a phone call.
The Protocols
Getting In Touch With The Agency
To be specific, the employees have to get in touch with the “licensed Safe Place agency” of the company as the young person waits inside the building. Within 30 minutes, a member of the agency is going to come to the location and do their work. As you can see, it is a collaboration among various individuals.
Getting In Touch With The Agency
Talking About The Problem
The employee from Safe Place will then have a conversation with the young person to talk about their issues. But what happens after that? Once this part of the process is over, they might go to the agency itself. Over there, it is possible for counselors to speak to the affected individual some more.
Talking About The Problem
The Help That They Need
This is not the end of it just yet, however. The website says, “Agency staff makes sure the youth and their families receive the help and professional services they need. Along with accessing Safe Place in person, youth may also ‘TXT 4 HELP’ to receive information about the closest Safe Place location.”
The Help That They Need
All The California Locations
There are also some cases in which a McDonald’s is the nearest Safe Place to you. In fact, the Golden State Restaurant Group confirmed that all the branches of the fast-food chain are part of the initiative. This is the reason the woman asked for help at a location in San Joaquin County.
All The California Locations
The Importance Of Their Involvement
Why is it so important for such a huge company to be part of this program? It might help you understand some more when you hear it from a county official herself. Tori Verber Salazar is the district attorney of San Jose and talked about this topic in an interview with the Golden State Restaurant Group. During that conversation, the lawyer raised a couple of interesting points.
The Importance Of Their Involvement
Dedication And Compassion
Salazar told the Golden State Restaurant Group, “Safe Place is a wonderful partnership. [It’s] a great testament to this community about their dedication and compassion to make a difference and to work with law enforcement to reduce our level of crime that occurs in our community. By doing that, we intervene early and often.”
Dedication And Compassion
For The Youth
That was not all that she had to say about this. “By having the Safe Place partnership, [it] allows us to have access to places where we know our youth are,” the attorney kept going. “Such as McDonald’s, where they’re going to be coming in, and it’s a regular place and a regular hang out for them.”
For The Youth
It Is Not Easy
After all, it is no secret that young people might have difficulties or feel hesitant about opening up to emergency services or authority figures. It is not easy to talk about the issues that they are going through. On top of that, many people have no idea where they can ask for help in the first place.
It Is Not Easy
Where They Go
“[The young people might not be able] to walk right into a courthouse or right into a police department. But they will go into a McDonald’s; they will go into a local business. So by having this Safe Place, [it] allows us to be where they are – not saying, ‘You come to where we are,’” Salazar continued.
Where They Go
Up To The Task
The employees of the McDonald’s location in Lodi were tasked to help out this woman that day in December 2019. On Christmas Eve afternoon, it was up to them to lend a hand to the distressed woman who asked for assistance. It did not take the staff long before they realized that there was something really wrong here.
Up To The Task
She Did Not Order
She did not go to the counter to place her order as most customers did. No, she told the employees that she needed help. When ABC News covered the story, one of the staff members talked about what happened on that day. It was a good thing that the location was part of the Safe Place initiative!
She Did Not Order
Letting Them Know It Was An Emergency
The employee at the store explained, “A guest came [into the restaurant], and she notified our employees that there was some sort of an emergency. She was in a stressful situation, [so] we encouraged her to use the restroom.” Before she went to the toilet, she told them one more thing.
Letting Them Know It Was An Emergency
She Told Them Her License Plate Details
The distressed woman told the employees at the McDonald’s store that they should call emergency services immediately. Aside from that, she gave them the details of her license plate! But things became even more concerning when she finally got out of the bathroom. What was the cause for concern?
She Told Them Her License Plate Details
What The Sheriff’s Office Said
In December 2019, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office took to Facebook to talk about the incident. In the statement, the authorities explained that the woman had been trying to order food when someone interrupted her. It was her partner, Eduard Valenzuela, who wanted her to get out of there.
What The Sheriff’s Office Said
Asking For Help
The statement went on to say, “[Valenzuela] demanded [his partner to] use the drive-thru. While in the drive-thru, she mouthed to an employee, ‘Help me.’ Just then, deputies arrived and spoke with employees inside the restaurant. They rushed them out the door, telling them that the woman needing help was in the drive-thru line.”
Asking For Help
A Violent History
“The woman was driving her vehicle with Mr. Valenzuela in the passenger seat when deputies ordered her to pull over,” the statement continued, “During the investigation, deputies comforted the shaken woman and discovered that Valenzuela had been violent with her in the past.” However, they found out more about the disturbing situation that she was in.
A Violent History
His Terrifying Warning
It turned out that he gave her a terrible warning earlier that day. “On this day, [Valenzuela] told [the woman] to take him to visit his family and threatened her life, stating he would use a firearm. A firearm was located in the trunk of the vehicle, [which was] stolen out of state,” said the sheriff’s office.
His Terrifying Warning
Thanks To Their Quick Thinking
In the end, the cops were able to apprehend Valenzuela. This would not have happened if the workers at the McDonald’s store did not act quickly. Since they knew that the authorities were on the way, they intentionally made sure to slow down the service at the drive-thru line. What a smart idea!
Thanks To Their Quick Thinking
A Proud And Exciting Moment
The employee who talked about the incident with ABC News made sure to bring attention to the actions of her colleagues as well. “It was such an exciting and proud moment for us to know that what we’re doing is working – and that our employees are comfortable handling things like that,” she said.
A Proud And Exciting Moment
He Was Taken To Jail
Through the post, the San Joaquin County Sheriff revealed the charges for Valenzuela. They also learned that he already had a criminal record to his name by then. He was “booked into the San Joaquin County Jail for criminal threats, stolen property and felon (prohibited person) in possession of a firearm.”
He Was Taken To Jail
Praising The People Who Helped
His bail was set at more than $350,000. Considering the amount, we are not surprised to hear that he remained behind bars. What happened after that? Well, people had good things to say about the staff and the local police who responded to the incident as quickly as they could.
Praising The People Who Helped
The Story Received A Lot Of Attention
Ever since the police statement was uploaded on Facebook, the post has since earned over 4,000 likes. It has also been shared more than 1,200 times. Under the post, there are 960 comments from netizens across the country. Many of them praised the cops who were successful at apprehending Valenzuela.
The Story Received A Lot Of Attention
Proud Of Them
Here is a comment from a Facebook user: “Great job! You may have just saved this woman’s life! I hope she is in a safe place at this moment and getting the help she needs.” It was clear that they were not the only person to have that sentiment. Others had also been glad to see that the story was gaining traction.
Proud Of Them
A Christmas Miracle
“Thanks to quick thinking by [the] McDonald’s employees and excellent work by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, a woman’s life was saved,” said a different commenter. “Thank you for your Christmas miracle. This could so easily have gone the other way. And thanks to the internet and Facebook, people all over the country are reading [about] this.”
A Christmas Miracle
Doing Their Part
We are glad to see the positive reactions of the people who heard about the story. The Golden State Restaurant Group also commended all the people involved in the apprehension of Valenzuela. The company even said, “We are proud of our team for doing their part in being A SAFE PLACE!”
Doing Their Part
Expressing Their Gratitude
The company also said, “Thank you to our team for handling this appropriately, and to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office Deputies who are constantly serving and protecting our community! We are proud to be in support of both a Safe Place and all of our law enforcement. Thank you for all of the community support, and please always be safe and aware.”
Doing Their Part