Update: Wandering toddler reunited with family

5:15 PM ORIGINAL REPORT: From Kristine:

I am up at the Southwest Library on 35th and Henderson. There is a three year old white male with blonde hair and hazel eyes with two police officers and no parent or adult. He is dressed in striped blue/yello pants and a green tee shirt. He has been here since 3:45.

We’re on our way over to find out more. Police have been alerted so call 911 or go to the library if this child is yours. 5:32 PM UPDATE: Just talked to one of the officers who were taking the child around the neighborhood in hopes of finding his house – they’ve located the right place and reunited him with his family – seems he wandered off – they’re talking with a parent now.

JH June 16, 2009 (6:11 pm)

How pathetic that the cops have to walk around to try to find the parents, after the child was missing for two hours. Have the parents ever heard of calling 911, maybe in the first few minutes of losing their child? Maybe they should see the wizard for a brain.

KC June 16, 2009 (6:36 pm)

Before jumping on the parents, find out the circumstances. At three my child could work a deadbolt, most child safety locks and clipping devices, he also was a wanderer. As a stay at home mom, there were times when I was sick or had a migraine that I needed to lay down. If my child took a nap sometimes I would, too.
Or maybe the parents weren’t home, maybe there was a sitter. Or a whole lot of other maybes.
Sure the parents could have been high or drunk or just negligent. But don’t assume so.

WSB June 16, 2009 (6:41 pm)

We may never know the circumstances – there may not be a major police report written about this unless there was some negligent circumstance. We will certainly follow up but in the short run, I agree – we really don’t know. We posted this only to help find the child’s home, after being contacted by a WSBer – not knowing whether a reunion was imminent or not – TR

JH June 16, 2009 (7:14 pm)

KC-I understand. That was just my first reaction. And I’m a parent. The story just sounds so strange. I don’t know any parent personally who had a child wander off for two hours without them knowing it. Just a waste of time that the cops had to actually wander around the neighborhood…hopefully they made a good judgment call when they interviewed the parents.

B. Duvall June 16, 2009 (7:38 pm)

some parents are just neglegent. that’s all

k June 16, 2009 (8:02 pm)

Oh how scary!
This reminds me of the toddler that was found on the highway in Florida last year– it was 2 or 3am and the family was asleep. The child unlocked the front door and walked out.
My own child has been known to sleepwalk. Once she is old/tall enough to figure out the gates and door we will have to figure something else out.

beachdrivegirl June 16, 2009 (8:44 pm)

Put bells on the doors. As a chronic sleepwalker that is what my parents had to do.

brandon June 17, 2009 (8:23 pm)

I plan on the bells when they are 14 or 15:)
Good idea for tots too, as they can be slippery.

sarelly June 18, 2009 (3:26 pm)

Kids can wander off, but after an hour of fruitless searching I’d call the police. Once when my son was four and we were at Alki, I turned my back for a minute to pay attention to his baby brother – and then he was gone. I was terrified. I looked all over, I walked up and down the beach looking and calling for him. I found him way at the end of the beach riding on the shoulders of a man, with a woman – a couple – they said they were helping him look for his mom. So I got him back. I felt like an idiot. It was an awful experience.

Sorry, comment time is over.