A 3-year-old boy from Dothan, Alabama, left his daycare center and walked to a nearby Walmart, seeking to get toys and snacks, but his efforts have raised questions about the security measures of the facility entrusted with looking after him.
Jasmine Najee, the boy’s mother, revealed that her son, Paxton, made the unexpected trip after being allowed to use the restroom without any supervision.
According to a Black News report, the incident occurred at Kiddie Care Learning Center on Tuesday, when the Alabama 3-year-old slipped out unnoticed, seeking to secure some more toys and sweets for himself. Per reports, the toddler crossed the street and entered the Walmart, where he wandered for around 20 to 25 minutes in pursuit of toys and snacks.
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Fortunately, a family friend who works at the store spotted Paxton holding Hot Wheels and snacks, ready to check out, and alerted the police, the learning center and his mother.
Security footage showed the boy leaving the daycare at 4:07 p.m., while police were called around 4:30 p.m. Despite the urgency, Najee was not informed by the daycare until almost 5 p.m.
Thankfully, Paxton was unharmed, yet his mother remained worried, knowing the incident could have had a different toll. She expressed relief that the situation didn’t end in tragedy, and will be eyeing Paxton closely by the day. “We could be grieving his death,” she said.
In response to the incident, Kiddie Care Learning Center owner Kishia Saffold also left her thoughts on the matter and issued a public apology, taking full responsibility for the lapse in supervision.
“As the director and owner, I take full responsibility for our failure,” Saffold stated. She then insisted that new security measures will be put in place to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
