Nine-year-old girl saves family by unlocking father’s phone using his face

Mother praises daughter after power generator fumes overwhelm five members of a Massachusetts family

The nine-year-old who saved her family from carbon monoxide poisoning (WXFT-TV/Boston25)

A nine-year-old allegedly saved her family from carbon monoxide poisoning after unlocking her father’s iPhone with his face to call 911.

Jayline Barbosa Brandão told WFXT-TV that she was asleep when she heard her father calling for help and struggling to breathe last week.

Her mother, meanwhile, was already unconscious after suspecting a migraine – and awoke in an ambulance after Jayline called 911. In total, five members of the family were reportedly taken to hospital.

The nine-year-old held her father’s iPhone to his face to to unlock it – allowing her to phone for an ambulance, and save her family.

“Oh yes she did I wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t in the house,” said her mother, Marcelina Brandão. “She was so smart.”

Jayline took her seven-year-old sister out of the house, Ms Brando told CNN. and also called neighbours to come to the aid of the Brockton, Massachusetts, family.

Carbon monoxide was measured at over 1000 parts per million at the home, which the Consumer Products Safety Commission says is a possibly fatal amount.

Ms Brando said the family were using a backup power generator in the aftermath of a storm because they were without any power. It had been unplugged and put by the back door, Ms Brando said.

The National Weather Service says generators should not be within 20 feet of any doors, windows and vents, and that working carbon monoxide detectors should be used.

As many as 20 deaths were reported following the recent storm, the Brockton Fire Department was reported to have said.