In 2014, Melora Rivera found herself face-to-face with an intruder who attempted to break into her home in Venice, California. Displaying remarkable quick thinking and desperation, Rivera made a daring escape by climbing onto her roof. Resulting in the now infamous photo.
The Incident
When the sound of the front door being forcefully kicked echoed through her home, Rivera’s instincts kicked into high gear. She wasted no time in springing out of bed and onto her roof, recognizing that she couldn’t remain inside with an unknown intruder.
Dressed only in a flannel shirt, she grabbed her cell phone and dialed the authorities, all while the intruder followed her onto the roof.
As Rivera assessed her options from the roof, she realized that a direct descent from the roof was not viable due to the significant height
With her safety hanging in the balance, she decided to anxiously wait for the police to arrive.
Rescue And Arrest
After a swift response time of just two minutes, the police arrived at the scene. However, upon their arrival, they initially only saw Rivera on the roof, raising concerns about her true identity.
Rivera herself feared that the intruder might be inadvertently forced to seek refuge in the exact location where she was hiding.Â
Fortunately, the Los Angeles Fire Department came to the rescue, employing a ladder to safely retrieve Rivera from the rooftop.
Meanwhile, the police managed to coax the intruder, later identified as Christian Hicks, 29, into surrendering. He was promptly taken into custody and charged with burglary.
The Neighbors’ Perspective
The response from Rivera’s vigilant neighbors made this incident particularly unique. Several of them witnessed the dramatic events unfolding and quickly grabbed their cell phones to capture photos and videos of the unfolding situation.
These striking images, taken from various angles, depict Rivera huddled under an eave, her phone pressed to her ear, as the intruder lurks just above. Other snapshots show police officers with guns drawn, prepared to shield Rivera from potential harm.
