It was a typical afternoon at a Pizza Hut in Avon Park, Florida—orders coming in, the team moving through the lunch rush, and the usual faces showing up on the screen. One of them was Cheryl Treadway, a regular customer whose name the staff was familiar with. But this time, her order came with a message that immediately stood out.
Just Another Tuesday
At the Pizza Hut in Avon Park, Florida, May 5, 2015, began like any ordinary day, filled with routine orders and familiar faces.
Employees moved swiftly, hands busy with dough, sauce, and toppings. The rhythm was second nature—automatic, almost military in precision. Nothing seemed out of place or unusual.
Orders came in, ovens roared, and laughter echoed from the kitchen. It was business as usual—for now. But that sense of normalcy was about to disappear.
A Message Hidden in Plain Sight
The rush was on. Orders poured in, and the staff focused on keeping up—dough flying, timers beeping, screens flashing with nonstop requests from hungry customers.
Amid the chaos, a new order appeared on the computer screen. At first glance, it looked like any other—same layout, same routine.
But then someone paused. Just below the usual toppings and crust options, a strange message stood out.
An Order From a Familiar Name
The screen showed a standard request: One large pepperoni pizza with garlic sauce for dunking. Nothing unusual—just another lunch order in the queue.
The name on the order was from a regular. She’d ordered from that Pizza Hut many times before. Her name barely raised an eyebrow.
But then, something else appeared—something no one expected. A message, so out of place, it made the employees freeze right where they stood.
A Cry for Help in the Delivery Notes
In the “delivery instructions” section of this regular customer’s order, a message appeared—brief, urgent, and entirely out of place for a pizza request.
It read: “Please help. Get 911 to me. 911hostagehelp!” The words were chilling, and for a moment, no one at the counter knew what to say.
A wave of silence fell over the staff. The room that had been filled with routine and noise now felt tense. Something was off.
A Message They’d Never Forget
Alonia Hawk, one of the chefs on duty, was the first to spot the message. Her reaction was instant: “I was kinda scared.”
“I was scared for the person,” she later told WTSP. The words on the screen weren’t just unusual—they were terrifying. Something was clearly wrong.
Manager Candy Hamilton was stunned. “We’ve never seen that before,” she said. “I’ve been here 28 years and never, never seen anything like that come through.”
This Couldn’t Be a Joke… Could It?
Was this some sick joke? A desperate prank slipped into an online pizza order? For a moment, no one could tell.
The message was alarming—too serious to ignore, but so out of place it felt unreal. The staff stared at the screen, unsure what to think.
But this order hadn’t come from just any customer. They all knew her. Her name was Cheryl Treadway.
A Normal Life—On the Surface
Cheryl Treadway was a 25-year-old mother of three, living in Florida with her boyfriend, Ethan Nickerson, and her three young sons. Life seemed simple and sunny.
From the outside, they looked like any other typical family—grocery runs, school drop-offs, laughter in the backyard. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
But behind closed doors, not everything was as it seemed. Beneath the surface of normalcy, something darker was quietly taking hold of Cheryl’s life.
A Growing Struggle
Cheryl loved Ethan, but her true source of strength was her three young sons. They were kind, well-behaved, and the center of her world.
The boys adored her just as much. They also loved Ethan, who had stepped in as a father figure—guiding them, playing with them, being present.
But behind his warm moments, Ethan was struggling. Something was shifting in him—slowly, quietly. And soon, that shift would begin to cast a shadow over them all.
A Dangerous Shift
Ethan, despite the love in the household, was battling a hidden enemy—drug addiction. It was a fight he was losing, and it showed.
His struggle led to unpredictable outbursts—moments of anger or confusion that came without warning. The man once seen as steady became increasingly unstable.
The changes were frightening. With each violent episode, his behavior grew more irrational, more dangerous.
Fear for the Ones She Loved Most
Cheryl began to live with a quiet fear—what if one day her children got caught in one of Ethan’s violent, unpredictable outbursts?
She knew Ethan loved the boys deeply, had taken them in as his own. But love didn’t stop the terrifying episodes that came without warning.
During those moments, Ethan would lose all sense of reality. Cheryl’s fears weren’t just anxious thoughts—they were warnings. And soon, heartbreakingly, those fears would come true.
An Argument That Crossed a Line
It was May 2015 when Cheryl and Ethan got into a particularly heated argument. Ethan was under the influence, and his mood was spiraling fast.
The children were still at school—something Cheryl was quietly thankful for. But the fight kept escalating, and nothing she said seemed to calm him down.
Then, without warning, Ethan snapped. What he did next terrified Cheryl and changed everything. This was no longer just an argument.
Trapped Inside Her Own Home
Consumed by drugs and rage, Ethan lunged at Cheryl and snatched her phone from her hands, cutting off her only line of communication to the outside world.
Before she could react, he grabbed a kitchen knife. His face was twisted with anger, his grip unshakable, and the tension in the room thickened.
He made it clear she wasn’t going anywhere. Cheryl was trapped, unarmed, and completely cut off—her worst fears were beginning to unfold in real time.
Racing Against Time
Cheryl felt a flicker of relief that her young children weren’t there to witness their father under the influence, waving a kitchen knife at her.
But that relief was fleeting. Time was running out—soon she would have to pick up her boys from school, and the clock was ticking.
Would Ethan let her leave? Cheryl didn’t know. Every passing second tightened the knot of fear in her stomach.
The Moment It All Became Clear
Eventually, the time came—Cheryl had to leave to pick up the kids. Ethan followed close behind, the kitchen knife still in his hand.
Her phone was gone, stuffed in his pocket. He wasn’t taking any chances. He knew if she left alone, she might call for help—or never return.
It hit Cheryl like a wave. This wasn’t just a fight. She wasn’t free to come and go. In that moment, she realized: she was kidnapped.
The Longest Drive of Her Life
What followed was the worst car ride of Cheryl’s life. She slid into the driver’s seat, Ethan climbing into the passenger seat beside her.
He glared at her, knife hidden but always there—a silent threat. She wanted to cry, to scream, to signal for help, but she couldn’t risk it.
Fear clawed at her chest. Her children’s safety weighed on her mind, and she didn’t know what Ethan might do next. She felt utterly trapped.
Keeping Calm for the Children
Eventually, Cheryl and Ethan arrived at the school to pick up the boys. To outsiders, they looked like any other family—calm, normal, routine.
Cheryl forced herself to stay composed. She smiled, spoke gently, and kept her tone light, not wanting her children to sense the danger surrounding them.
Inside, though, her mind was racing. As Ethan played the part of a normal parent, Cheryl knew she had to act, and it had to be soon.
A Mother’s Instinct
Cheryl knew her boys well. After a full day at school, they were always hungry—it was part of their daily routine, something she could count on.
As they drove back home with Ethan still watching her closely, an idea began to take shape. Maybe, just maybe, she could use that.
If she could convince him to let her order food, maybe she could find help for herself and her young kids.
A Careful Suggestion
When they got back to the house, Cheryl, gently trying to sound casual and calm, turned to Ethan and suggested they order pizza from Pizza Hut—just like they used to.
After all, the kids loved it, and it was a familiar routine. Nothing suspicious. Just a mom feeding her hungry children their favorite dinner.
She masked her fear with a steady voice, pretending nothing had happened. Inside, though, she was praying Ethan would agree—and that this tiny window would be enough.
A Risky Opportunity
Still under the influence and not thinking clearly, Ethan hesitantly agreed to let Cheryl use her phone for a few minutes to place the order.
He handed it over, but not without suspicion. He stood nearby, eyes locked on her, monitoring every tap, every glance, every movement she made.
Cheryl knew this was her only chance—but it was risky. One wrong move, one sign of deception, and Ethan could snap. She had to be careful.
A Desperate Message
Discreetly, Cheryl opened the Pizza Hut app and typed in her usual order—a pepperoni pizza with garlic dipping sauce.
Her fingers trembled as she moved quickly. Before Ethan could notice, she scrolled to the delivery instructions section, the only place she could speak freely.
There she typed: “Please help. Get 911 to me. 911hostagehelp!” It was her silent cry for rescue, hidden in the most ordinary place imaginable.
Waiting for a Lifeline
After typing the desperate message, Cheryl quickly placed the order and handed the phone back to a menacing, paranoid Ethan without saying a word.
The house was calm on the surface, the children still blissfully unaware of the danger surrounding them. But Cheryl knew the tension was razor-thin.
Ethan still had the knife. One wrong move could send everything spiraling out of control. All she could do now was pray the Pizza Hut staff would see her message—and send help.
The Staff Makes a Choice
Back at the Pizza Hut, employees stared at the screen in shock. Could this be a prank? The thought crossed their minds briefly.
But it didn’t add up. They knew Cheryl—she was a regular customer, someone they recognized by name. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
The staff didn’t waste time debating. They decided to act. Instead of dismissing the message, they prepared to call for help, hoping they weren’t already too late.
A Call for Help
Candy Hamilton, the branch manager, wasted no time. She immediately picked up the phone and called the police, her voice steady but urgent.
She explained everything—the strange message hidden in the order, her concern for Cheryl, and the fact that this wasn’t just any customer, but someone they knew.
Then she gave officers Cheryl’s address. Hanging up, Candy could only hope it wasn’t too late, and that help would arrive before tragedy struck.
Silent Questions, Racing Thoughts
Back at home, Cheryl’s nerves were unraveling. Would the Pizza Hut employees notice her message? Would they take it seriously—or dismiss it as a cruel prank?
She sat tensely on the couch beside Ethan, who still clutched the knife. Her youngest son, a toddler, rested quietly in her arms.
Her mind raced with questions, each one heavier than the last. Moments later, she would finally learn the answer.
The Arrival of Hope
Suddenly, Cheryl noticed several police patrol cars pulling up outside her home. They had arrived quietly, sirens off, careful not to alert Ethan too soon.
Through the window, she could see them—uniforms, flashing lights muted, a silent army waiting just beyond the walls. Relief washed over her in an instant.
Her plan had worked. Help was here. But Ethan, still dazed and high, hadn’t noticed a thing. Cheryl knew her window was small—she had to act quickly.
A Careful Plan Outside
Meanwhile, outside the house, police officers gathered in silence, trying to piece together a plan. They didn’t know exactly what was happening inside.
The details were scarce—only a desperate message through a pizza order and the warning from Candy Hamilton, the Pizza Hut manager who had called them.
But one fact was apparent: there were children in the home. Protecting them was the top priority, and every move had to be precise and careful.
A Desperate Run to Safety
All of a sudden, the police saw the front door swing open. A young woman bolted out, frantically running toward them with a baby in her arms.
It was Cheryl. In a state of sheer desperation, she had made her choice. The toddler was the most defenseless, the one she had to save first.
Clutching her child tightly, she sprinted toward the officers, heart pounding. This was her chance, her moment to break free and cry out for help.
Warning the Police
The first officer Cheryl reached was Lieutenant Curtis Ludden. One look at her face told him everything—this was serious, and there was no time to waste.
In between heavy breaths and tears, Cheryl explained as best she could. Ethan was inside, under the influence, unstable, and still armed with a knife.
Most importantly, she warned, her two young children were still trapped in the house with him. The danger was real, immediate, and the police had to act fast.
The Negotiation Begins
Once Lieutenant Ludden understood the situation—a drugged man inside with two young children—he knew there was no time to lose. Every second mattered.
Drawing on his past experience with tense standoffs, Ludden grabbed a megaphone. His voice was steady, calm, but carried the weight of authority and urgency.
From outside the house, he began speaking to Ethan, pleading with him to surrender. He urged him to put down the knife and release the children safely.
Panic Behind Closed Doors
Inside the house, Ethan was spiraling. Aggressive, confused, his mind clouded by drugs, he couldn’t understand how the police had shown up so suddenly.
He paced with the knife still in hand, paranoia rising with every second. Fear and anger collided, fueling his refusal to step outside.
“His first words were, of course, ‘I’m not coming out because I know I’m going to jail,’” Lieutenant Ludden later recalled of that tense, chaotic moment.
The Surrender
After nearly twenty minutes of tense negotiation, Ethan’s resistance began to falter. Slowly, cautiously, he decided to surrender, stepping out of the house without a fight.
Police moved quickly, arresting him on the spot before he could change his mind. The knife was secured, and the immediate danger was over.
Officers rushed inside to find Cheryl’s two young children. To everyone’s relief, they were unharmed—shaken and terrified, but safe at last in protective arms.
Facing the Consequences
Immediately after the incident, Ethan Nickerson was taken into custody. The chaotic standoff had ended, but now he had to face the weight of the law.
Authorities moved quickly, charging him with aggravated assault with a weapon without intent to kill, battery, false imprisonment, and obstructing justice by depriving communication to law enforcement.
The list of charges reflected the severity of what had happened. What began as a heated argument had turned into a terrifying ordeal with lasting consequences.
News Spreads and Praise Follows
When the ordeal was finally over, the story quickly spread across the news. Headlines praised Cheryl’s bravery and her incredible quick thinking under impossible pressure.
Lieutenant Curtis Ludden himself expressed admiration for her actions. “I don’t know if I ever would have thought of it,” he admitted afterward.
“She did it so naturally. The boyfriend never knew until we came around the corner. It’s moments like these that make you feel good,” Ludden told WFLA.
Cheryl’s Message of Hope
In the days after the terrifying ordeal, Cheryl was contacted by the media. Her story was everywhere, and people wanted to hear from her directly.
Rather than focus on her own trauma, she chose to send a message to others who might be trapped in situations of fear and abuse.
“There’s hope. There’s help even if you don’t think you have anybody. Somebody out there will wanna help you. You are worth it,” she told reporters.
A Story of Courage and Solidarity
Cheryl’s quick thinking turned a terrifying situation into a story of survival. By hiding her desperate plea in a pizza order, she saved her family.
But she was not alone. The Pizza Hut employees acted with courage and compassion, refusing to ignore her message, and the police responded swiftly and carefully.
This story is proof that even in the darkest moments, there is hope. Help can come, people will stand together, and courage can change everything.