Toddler gets hit by window during break-in; suspect arrested at nearby home

A sleeping toddler was startled awake by a stranger, and a window came down on him during a break-in. The intruder then took off and tried to break into a home nearby, but neighbors stopped him.

Melissa Wild didn’t know the burglar had already broken into two of her cars before he broke into her 3-year-old’s bedroom. When she found out he had a knife with him, she said she was extra thankful to see him behind bars Wednesday night.

“We kind of thought just two of the dogs were playing in the living room,” Wild said.

Her son woke up to the stranger and called out.

“All he said is, ‘There’s a man in, there was a man in the window,” Wild explained.

In a picture, Melissa pointed out the window was pushed in from the outside landing right on top of her son while he was sleeping in his bed.

“It’s awful. I mean the poor kid is 3 years old,” Wild said.

Melissa’s mother rushed in and grabbed her son, and that’s when they say 28-year-old Christopher John Tomasulo took off.

“It could have been worse,” Wild said. “The window could have shattered on him, or he could have gotten hurt.”

Police say Tomasulo tried breaking into another home just down the street shortly after, but two people in the home were able to detain him until police arrived.

Melissa doesn’t know those neighbors but wants to thank them for bringing her family peace of mind.

“I would definitely tell them thank you, and that we’re grateful because maybe he could have gotten away before the police came, and he wouldn’t have gotten caught,” Wild said.

Tomasulo is faces nine charges, including burglary and possession of a weapon or ammo by a convicted felon.

Tomasulo was in custody at Lee County Jail Wednesday night — his tenth trip to the jail in the county. He’s been arrested four times in 2021.