Concerned About Child Safety

About three weeks ago I was on my motorcycle making a turn south on Jefferson Street when I saw a very young boy standing on the sidewalk on Fifth Street by himself. He seemed very confused and scared as he ran down behind St. Peter’s Church. I turned into the parking lot going east to see where this young fellow was heading; I met a lady in a gray car, just as surprised as I that the little guy was all alone running around the church. We agreed that there were not any adults around and that we should call the police in the event he was missing from one of the nearby homes.

We circled around the block only to discover he was attempting to run across Fifth Street, right into the oncoming traffic. I hollered at him and he took off running again to the back of the church. I got off my motorcycle and grabbed him before he could take off running again. I sensed that he may be austistic or something, he was of Hispanic nationality. I asked him his name in Spanish and it got his attention along with my helmet which seemed to interest him.

A few minutes later an officer came by after responding to my cellphone call earlier and was going to take him to the police station in hopes that someone would call and report him missing; the little fellow was squirming in my arms and wanted to take off running again. It was about that time that a teenage girl came up to us along with another young child claiming that this little four-year-old boy had somehow got away from the residence on Sixth Street where she was babysitting; you could see the fear in her tearful eyes.

How did this little guy get across Jefferson without being struck by a vehicle? I guess the point here is that how safe are our children at day care or at babysitters? This little guy could have easily been hit by a car or taken by a stranger. Don’t hesitate when it comes to the safety of your child to know more about the child’s caretakers. Is there adult supervision? Is there child safety locks?

Ask questions. Life is so precious.