An Orlando waitress is being called a hero after helping a boy escape from an abusive home.

The waitress said she was working on her day off at Mrs. Potato Restaurant when she noticed at one of her tables, everyone got food except an 11-year-old boy.

She said when she asked if something was wrong with the food, the stepfather told her the boy was going to eat dinner at home later.

That’s when she said she noticed bruises on the boy’s face and arms.

She said, ”I could see he had a big scratch between his eyebrows. Couple of minutes later, I saw a bruise on the side of his eye. So I felt there was something really wrong.”

She wrote the boy a note that read, “Do you need help?” She stood behind his parents where they couldn’t see. He signaled yes.

She called the police right away.

The stepfather was arrested on child abuse and child neglect charges. The mother was arrested on child neglect charges since she knew about the abuse, but didn’t do anything about it.

The boy was taken to get medical attention.

Not only was the boy underweight for his age, but he described being tortured.

He said ratchet straps were tied around his ankles and neck, and he was hung upside down from a door.  He said he was hit with a wooden broom, and handcuffed and tied to a large moving dolly. He also said he didn’t get to eat on a regular basis as punishment.

Police say the boy was also forced to do planks for 30 minutes at a time. If he failed, he would be beaten.

The couple’s 4-year-old child was also removed from the home.