(ReclaimingAmerica.net) – In a disconcerting incident that placed law enforcement in a hurry, a 12-year-old boy was discovered locked inside a Target store in Ohio, where he had apparently spent the night unattended and alone.
Franklin County Children Services spokesperson Scott Varner disclosed that the child’s parents reported him missing on Sunday.
Officers unsuccessfully searched the area, which included a number of retailers, for the boy’s parents before they handed him off to Franklin County Children Services.
It is speculated that an early morning employee found the boy inside the east side Target just past 6 a.m. on Monday.
“Our team immediately contacted law enforcement upon finding this child and cared for him until authorities arrived. The well-being of our guests is our top priority,” Target declared in a statement.
It was not immediately clear exactly how long the boy had been there. However, officials informed the Columbus Dispatch that he had been there at least since 10 p.m. the previous night, a staggering eight hours before his discovery.
Expressing disbelief and targeting the situation as “crazy,” one unnamed shopper asked ABC 6, “How did they not find him last night when they were trying to close the store?”
Officials thought the boy was a runaway and he was reunited with his relieved parents after the incident.
Columbus police spokeswoman Jennifer Watson conveyed their sentiments and stated that the parents were happy that he was safe and that he would be going home soon.
Thankfully, there were no indications of harm to the boy, and the store resumed its operations as usual after the rescue.
Law enforcement confirmed that no charges would be pressed in connection with the incident.
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