2 1/2 Year Old Found Walking
Middle Of Mockingbird Lane In DHR Care
Four
Hours Before Mother Reports Child Missing
June 9, 2009
A 2 1/2 year old boy,
found walking in the middle of Mockingbird Lane Monday
afternoon, remained in DHR care Tuesday afternoon
according to Arab Police. The name of the child,
and the child's 20 year old mother, has not been released
due to child's age and a pending DHR investigation.
The child, discovered by a
Mockingbird Lane resident, had apparently wandered
approximately 1/2 mile from his Barnes Road home. The
resident said the child was walking in the middle of the
road and was nearly hit by two vehicles. Police
received a call about the child around 2:11 pm after the
resident had tried unsuccessfully to locate the child's home
and parents for about 30 minutes. APD officers Robbie
Rainwater and Sgt. Seth Sullivan answered the call.
Sullivan took the took the child to the Arab Police
Department and notified DHR. Sullivan said the child
was barefoot, dirty, and hungry, but otherwise ok. "He
devoured three pieces of pizza and a fruit punch drink,"
Sullivan said. The child was unable to tell officers
his entire name.
Sullivan said the original 911
call was routed through the Blount County 911 Center because
it was a cell phone call. Because the area lies near
the boundaries of Marshall, Blount, and Cullman County 911
Centers, each center was notified that the child had been
taken to the APD in case a missing child call was received.
According to APD reports, the
mother called to report the child missing at 6 p.m. and was
notified that the child was in DHR custody and that she
needed to come to the police department. She arrived
about 45 minutes later. The mother told police and DHR
officials that she was sleeping when her parents left Monday
morning for a trip to Gallatin, Tennessee. When she
awoke she thought they had taken the child with them.
When they returned without the child she called 911.
According to reports, the child
remained at DHR overnight and was still in DHR care
Tuesday afternoon pending the outcome of a safety
investigation.
