JACKSONVILLE, FLA. (WSVN) – Two officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office helped a young boy reunite with his parents after he accidentally locked himself out of his home early in the morning and walked to a nearby Chick-Fil-A.
Bodycam video from the patrol officers showed them walking into a Chick-Fil-A on June 24 where they spotted something unusual: a child eating breakfast with no parents in sight.
“I have children, so the first thing, you know, you get that knot in your stomach, because you know somebody else who’s a parent is missing their child,” said Patrol Officer Perri.
The officers set out to help him get back home safely.
“You know where your house is, buddy?” a patrol officer asked the child.
The boy, 5-year-old William, told officers he lived across the street.
The officers grabbed a parting gift from an employee of the fast food restaurant for William as they brought him outside.
William asked the officers if they were taking him to jail as they made their way to the police cruiser.
The officers told William he wasn’t going to jail, but he was going on a ride-along as they drove around the surrounding neighborhood to find where his house was.
After some time, they found William’s home with the front gate locked.
The officers hopped over the fence, knocked on the door and delivered the stunning news to William’s parents.
“Yeah, he was down at the Chick-Fil-A,” an officer said.
“Are you kidding me?” said Victoria, William’s mother.
“No, we have him in our police car. You want to go get him?” said an officer.
The family was relieved to be back together.
According to police, William opened the gate and got locked out during the early morning hours. After he couldn’t find his parents, he decided to go somewhere familiar.
“I know he knows how to get to Chick-Fil-A because we walk there. I would have never expected him to come down here on his own,” said Victoria.
William and his family got to reunite with the officers who helped him weeks later at the same spot, with William bringing a special gift as a thank you for their help on that day.
Authorities said William’s parents were asleep at the time he made his escape.
They said the parents aren’t in any trouble, but this incident serves as a strong reminder for parents to make sure their children know their address, a phone number and their parents’ names.
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