Lost

We backed out of our driveway Thanksgiving morning heading to visit family for the traditional festivities. If you remember, Thanksgiving Day was rather cool to point of needing some "bundling" when playing outside. As we traveled down the road about 3 miles, we ran up on 3 cars that had stopped.

While getting closer to the cars, I realized what the situation was. A little boy about 2 years old was found wandering in the road...North Old Canton Road, mind you. Those who had stopped had not even had time to get him out of the road as he was skeptical to approach them because they were strangers. JB and I stopped to offer any help. The one lady that had stopped picked the little boy up and was trying to get him to talk, to no avail. He had a shy face which gave no clue to where he may have come from. Luckily, he had on a heavy coat as if he had been playing outside.

While one of the men was talking to a 911 dispatcher, JB and I turned around to knock on doors of the nearest neighborhood. As we pulled into the neighborhood, we saw a girl about 10 years old running down the street calling his name. We asked her if she was looking for a little boy about 2 years old. With tears in her eyes, she said yes and ask where he was. I told her that he was fine but we needed to know where his parents were. She directed us to her house where 2 adults were getting in there car to search for him. We told them the little boy was up the road about 100 yards. The immediately jumped in their car.

At this point in the story, I need to make note of some things that I observed. I in no way want to judge the adults but found some circumstances questionable. (I call them adults because I don't know if they were his parents.) The lady appeared to possibly be his mom but the man that was with her looked quite younger than she. One of the situations that I observed was that the little boy was dressed in a heavy coat. However, none of those that were looking for him were dressed in warm clothes at all. The young girl and the Mom were dressed in shorts and a t-shirt with no shoes, while the young man was dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt. I mention this to point out, that none of them were dressed to have been outside with this child. Also, this child had wandered at least 100 to 150 yards away from the house. I wonder at which point they realized he was missing. The little girl was searching the opposite way of where he was. She also had walked a good way in looking for him, while the adults were still at the house. Again, I don't judge nor am I speculating any kind of abuse or neglect. I too know how quickly children can get away from you especially when trying to keep my eyes on 2 toddlers. My heart stops every time I can't find one for a split second and then realize they are only behind a tree or my vision of them is blocked by something else.

The adults raced to the little boy where she hugged him while crying. They never took the little girl, I assume she stayed at the house. JB and I didn't stop to find out the circumstances, instead we just drove on by. The police had not yet shown up and I don't even know if they cancelled the call.

I cried for the next few miles just imagining if that had been one or both of my boys. This child was wandering on a very busy road. It's literally a miracle of God that he was not hit and killed. People do not obey the speed limit in that area as it goes from the city limits to the county. For that very reason, it tends to be ignored by the police and sheriff's department. It is also a miracle that some crazy sex offender or some crazed citizen didn't kidnap him to which no one would have been witnessed to.

This situation further enforced in me the guard that I must keep when my boys are playing outside or playing anywhere that they can easily walk away. I can't imagine this situation happening to me.

I post this situation to also make parents aware of just what can happen, even in our "little, safe" town that was named one of the top 10 cities to live in the USA.

Until next time, keep watch, HB