JACKSONVILLE, FLA. (WSVN) \u2013 Two officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have children, so the first thing, you know, you get that knot in your stomach, because you know somebody else who\u2019s a parent is missing their child,\u201d said Patrol Officer Perri.<\/p>\n
The officers set out to help him get back home safely.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know where your house is, buddy?\u201d a patrol officer asked the child.<\/p>\n
The boy, 5-year-old William, told officers he lived across the street.<\/p>\n
The officers grabbed a parting gift from an employee of the fast food restaurant for William as they brought him outside.<\/p>\n
William asked the officers if they were taking him to jail as they made their way to the police cruiser.<\/p>\n
The officers told William he wasn\u2019t going to jail, but he was going on a ride-along as they drove around the surrounding neighborhood to find where his house was.<\/p>\n
After some time, they found William\u2019s home with the front gate locked.<\/p>\n
The officers hopped over the fence, knocked on the door and delivered the stunning news to William\u2019s parents.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, he was down at the Chick-Fil-A,\u201d an officer said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you kidding me?\u201d said Victoria, William\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, we have him in our police car. You want to go get him?\u201d said an officer.<\/p>\n
The family was relieved to be back together.<\/p>\n
According to police, William opened the gate and got locked out during the early morning hours. After he couldn\u2019t find his parents, he decided to go somewhere familiar.<\/p>\n
\u201cI 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,\u201d said Victoria.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Authorities said William\u2019s parents were asleep at the time he made his escape.<\/p>\n
They said the parents aren\u2019t 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\u2019 names.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n
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