HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Henrico Police officers bought a boy McDonald’s and played with him until they located his family more than two hours later.
Lt. Crook said good Samaritans discovered a boy walking alone in the Fairlawn Heights neighborhood of Eastern Henrico County around 7:15 Sunday morning.
Witnesses told CBS 6 the boy was barefoot and seen walking in the middle of the road near the intersection of Cedarwood Road and Mornell Street.
Officers went door to door with a picture of the boy asking neighbors if they recognized him.
A few hours later, detectives said the boy’s grandparents called 911 when they discover him missing from his bed. His mother had just dropped him off that morning with his grandparents on Cosby Street a few blocks away.
No one in the neighborhood recognized the boy since he doesn’t live there, according to police. Officers bought the boy McDonald’s and played with the child to help keep him calm.
Neighbors, who also helped searched the neighborhood for the boy’s family, gave him juice and snacks. They estimated the boy was a few years old.
CBS 6 captured the moments following the reunion as the little boy gave the police sergeant a high five while holding his grandmother’s hand.
She told CBS 6 off camera that she’s relieved to have her grandson back home and safe.
Police said no one will be charged.
Fanandra Randall was preparing for her son’s 7th birthday when she noticed the group of police holding a little boy outside. She didn’t recognize him.
“You can’t beat anybody up for making a mistake,” she said. “But the mistake is sad because a baby was fending for itself. At the end of the day, it’s a lesson learned.”
"GREAT NEWS," the department posted on Twitter just after 10 a.m. "Family of this young man has been located and police are reuniting them now!"
"Everyone is well and healthy," police later said.
