Updated

An Illinois police sergeant is being hailed a hero after rescuing a young child who “escaped his mother's watchful eye.”

The Naperville Police Department said Monday that Sgt. Anthony Mannino was recently given the department's Life Saving Award for bringing the child to safety last month on the side of Route 59 outside of Chicago.

“Luckily, no one was hurt, and we attribute that to Sgt. Mannino's observation while on patrol and quick reaction, placing his squad car and himself between the child and traffic,” the department wrote on its Facebook page.

Police said the child had left his mother’s home before taking a run on the busy road. In dashcam footage of the rescue, Mannino is seen running after the child before carrying it back to his cruiser.