6-Year-Old Found Nearly A Mile Away From Daycare Center
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW) - A Fort Worth mom says her 6-year-old son was supposed to be at daycare, when police found him wandering the streets alone.
Shanae Hernandez signed her child in at the Kings Kids Learning Center in Fort Worth just before 9:30 a.m. and then headed to work.
"I got a phone call around 1:22 p.m. from the day care. CPS has my child and they were trying to find me" Hernandez explains.
"I checked him in at 9:22 a.m.. It's 1:22 p.m! Where has my son been?," she asked frantically.
According to witnesses, the child was spotted nearly one mile away from the day care center on his own. Employees at the Country Meat Market immediately brought him into the air conditioned store.
"He was wandering down the sidewalk. It was very hot so we brought him in, gave him water, sandwiches and chips," said Darren Springer, a butcher at the business.
Hernandez's son Brandon told her he walked out through a gate in the yard. He said he was trying to come home.
The day care owner's father spoke on behalf of the Kings Kids Learning Center.
"Proper procedures were carried out and at this time, we have no further comment," said Michael Matthews.
The family said off camera that their policy requires parents to walk kids to their classroom after signing them in.
Hernandez admits she did not escort Brandon to his class, but she says she was not made aware of that policy.
"I have been doing this for 11 months. I've never gotten stopped and told 'Hey m 'am you need to walk him back there."
At some point an officer picked up Brandon.
The child has trouble communicating and was not able to provide his home address.
His mom says that's when Child Protective Services was called. The child was able to direct them right to his home, where an older sibling was notified.
Hernandez was reunited with her son shortly thereafter. By that evening, Brandon was cozied up on the couch, watching cartoons. He was still proudly wearing the police badge sticker an officer had given him.
His mother says they are lucky the child was approached by an officer, and not someone who could have hurt him.
Brandon will not be returning to daycare any time soon.
"I don't want to leave him. I just don't. It's hard to trust anyone right now," his mother said.
A sister division of CPS which regulates daycares, is investigating to determine if any minimum standards have been violated at Kings Kids Learning Center.
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