Wheat Ridge mail carrier finds child in car with mother who overdosed

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (KRDO) -- A mail carrier in Wheat Ridge is being hailed as a hero for helping a child in danger.

Earlier this week, Andrew Russler spotted a car idling on the side of the road while he was working his mail route. When he approached the car, what he saw prompted him to immediately call 911.

"The closer I got, I heard 'my mommy's dead?' So I immediately ran over there and dropped my mail in this lady's front yard and made sure the kid was out of the back seat first and then checked on the mom. She was slumped over," Russler said.

According to Wheat Ridge police, the mother had overdosed. By the time officers arrived, she had woken up and admitted to taking a fentanyl pill.

The six-year-old child told officers who had helped her.

The mother is now facing child abuse charges.