Drunk 4-Year-Old Hayden Wright Steals Christmas Gifts, Drinks Beer, Has Very Merry Xmas

By: Ryan Smith
Topics: Daily Blotter

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (CBS/AP) Drunk 4-year-old Hayden Wright made sure that Christmas came early this year!

The Tennessee boy was found wandering his Chatanooga neighborhood in the middle of the night, beer in hand, wearing a little girl's dress taken from under a neighbor's Christmas tree.

Hayden's mother, 21-year-old April Wright, woke up at 1:45 a.m. and panicked when she realized he was missing. She found Hayden, drunk, outside the house drinking a 12-ounce can of beer Tuesday.

He was taken to a hospital and treated for alcohol consumption.

"My biggest concern was him being out there, getting kidnapped, getting run over, the alcohol, having to have his stomach pumped," Wright told WTVC-TV in Chatanooga.

Hayden runs away "trying to find his father," Wright said. "He wants to get in trouble so he can go to jail because that's where his daddy is."

Wright's husband is currently behind bars, and she is in the process of divorcing him.

Hayden got the beer out of a cooler behind the house. Wright said that all the doors to her house are child-proof but Hayden broke a mechanism on one of the doorknobs to get out.

Hamilton County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Janice Atkinson says the incident is being investigated, but the department declined to release the report.

Investigators say Hayden sneaked into a neighbor's house through an unlocked door, and stole five Christmas gifts.

The boy's mother says she met with child protective services and was told she will get to keep custody of her son.

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by Sky017 December 21, 2009 1:19 PM EST: Hilarious!; Reply to this comment


by bundye December 21, 2009 10:37 AM EST: This is the type of parentling we have these days. He got out, a 4 year old, broke the mechanism, knew where the beer was and got into a neighbor's house at what time of the morning? Mom, what were you doing?; Reply to this comment


by androidboy December 21, 2009 9:11 AM EST: Give 'Em Hell Hayden! I'd keep an eye on this guy...he's likely to get into more trouble than Lindsay Lohan and Danny Bonaduce combined.; Reply to this comment

by toldyouso21 December 21, 2009 12:17 AM EST

Now why would a mother tell her 4 year old that his dad was in jail? And how many 4 year olds would know what it takes to go to jail unless someone (like mommy) told them what they needed to do?

Most 4 year olds would have thought if they did not say their prayers or if they stole a cookie--they would go to jail--but NOOOOOOOO.. in Wright's case...her 4 year old seems to know just what he should try to do to go to jail or....mom got the boy drunk and stole the dress herself and put it on her kid--so she could do a version of "balloon boy" If she did--she will be joining papa in jail.

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by androidboy December 21, 2009 9:25 AM EST: OR...the kid could have seen an old episode of MASH, thought it would be funny to dress like a woman (and told NO by his mom). He might have tried to drink a beer and was told NO. He might have shoplifted (stolen) something and was made to give it back--his mom going on about how behavior like this will get him thrown in jail. He might have put the concepts of going to jail and doing what you're told not to together by himself.
Now that I think of it, the idea that anyone would allow a four year-old to think that they were going to jail for taking a cookie makes me wanna puke. But...I guess that since they're going to hell for not saying their prayers the jail thing is a step down, isn't it?


by simkatu December 20, 2009 8:56 PM EST: I am outraged that CBS chose to release the name of the child. There is no reason it needed to be released. A fake name would have been just fine and the story just as compelling.

Now all his classmates and employers and everyone else will always know this child's life story of a dad in prison and how he tried to follow his daddy into prison.

Shame on CBS.; Reply to this comment


by AlamoDoc December 20, 2009 8:36 PM EST: Another Al Bundy in the making.; Reply to this comment


by JoeScrotum December 20, 2009 5:38 PM EST: This kid obviously has a promising future as a lawyer, politician, or cop. How did they manage to divulge the name and image of a minor?; Reply to this comment


by msay3 December 20, 2009 5:17 PM EST: Quite accomplished for a 4 year old....; Reply to this comment

by Heartlight December 20, 2009 1:56 PM EST

He needs to be seeing a therapist to deal with his grief, and the doors to the house need to be locked with a key-from the inside, just as is done with Alzheimer's patients who wander. Perhaps his dad could write him often? Telling him to be a good boy and take care of mommy? Tragic that this little boy is given no support in dealing with the 'loss' of his dad.

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by Phxfire December 21, 2009 2:09 AM EST: You lock Alzheimer patients in because they can reach flip locks and place themselves in danger. You NEVER key lock anyone else in, unless you want to trap them in a fire or other emergency. For children you just place a flip lock or thumb-turn lock out of their reach. Key locks take too much time in emergencies or people panic and can't reach the key or manuever the lock. In most states they are illegal to have double-key locks on exits. The same reason you don't put locks or bars on windows without panic releases. Ask firefighters how many people have died because they lock themselves in and the 'good guys' out.


by rf35 December 21, 2009 9:29 AM EST: I am currently living in a new house in England...less than 1 year and a half old. All the doors lock with a key from the inside as well as out. That is apparently quite standard in the UK, at least for newer houses. The only key I carry on my keyring is the front door. All the other doors have the key in the lock on the inside.

by Fatesrider December 20, 2009 12:43 PM EST

Not to be overly crass, but given the geographic location, the incident, and the details given, one wonders how far apart, genetically speaking, Mom and Dad actually are... Just goes to show that any two idiots can get together and have a kid - and usually do.

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by erichsh December 20, 2009 2:39 PM EST: by Fatesrider December 20, 2009 12:43 PM EST
Not to be overly crass, but given the geographic location, the incident, and the details given ....

This coming from the same mindset that decries racism when directed towards blacks, Muslims, etc. and cries over the "torture" of those poor terrorists.