Reunited: Kansas officers meet the boy they found in an attic

People online are losing it over this full-circle moment — the kind that hits hard and heals a little, too.

In 2010, deputies in Johnson County, Kansas, found 6-year-old Giovanni “Govi” Eastwood hidden in an attic, severely malnourished and unable to walk. Court records and reporting show he weighed under 20 pounds and was covered in filth when officers pulled him to safety after a welfare check at his De Soto home. Medical staff said he was days from death. CBS News reported the pediatric warning at the time, and a judge later detailed the conditions in open court, noting his weight and injuries.

Govi’s mother, Rachel Perez, pleaded guilty in March 2011 to attempted second-degree murder, child abuse, and aggravated child endangerment. Two months later, a Johnson County judge imposed the maximum terms on each count — more than eight years in prison. Those sentencing details, including the rescue date and charges, are in contemporaneous coverage by the Journal-World and CBS News.

Then came the part people are sharing now.

In November 2016 — six years after that attic rescue — Govi walked into the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, smiling and standing tall. He met the officers who had pulled him out and was sworn in as an honorary deputy, complete with a badge number matching the sergeant who lifted him down. Local outlets, citing the ceremony, captured the moment.

Officers initially arrested Perez on warrants during a welfare check, then returned on a hunch to keep searching the home — and found Govi above them in the attic access. The charging documents and sentencing hearing describe his condition: under 20 pounds, untreated illness, and profound neglect. 

He was later adopted, along with his sisters, by relatives who helped him relearn trust and daily routines, as referenced in court testimony and follow-up reporting.

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At the 2016 reunion, Sgt. John Klingele told Inside Edition, “That boy is the hero… It’s really good to see him,” emphasizing that officers rarely get a happy ending. Govi’s great aunt added, “The kid is magical… he just brings out a better person in them.” Coverage of the ceremony also noted Govi shook hands with deputies and later slept with his plaque.

The case ended with a maximum sentence in 2011 and, by 2016, a verified public reunion honoring Govi’s recovery and resilience — documented in court-adjacent reporting and local news. That’s the part worth sharing: a child once near death, later welcomed back as an honorary deputy, with officers publicly crediting him for his courage