The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is reminding parents to teach their children important information — like their home address, their parents’ full names, not just mom or dad, and their phone number.
It might seem simple, but it can make a big difference in an emergency or if a child wanders off, like a 5-year-old did recently in Jacksonville.
JSO shared a video on social media of the case from a few weeks ago, where a 5-year-old boy named William wandered away from home and made his way to Chick-fil-A on his own.
Staff gave him breakfast and called the police. They were sitting with him when officers arrived.
“We asked where he came from, and he kept saying he walked to Chick-fil-A,” Patrol Officer Kelly said.
When a worker asked William if he knew where his house was, he said, “Right over there,” pointing out the window.
“I have children, and you get that knot in your stomach because you know somebody else who’s a parent is missing their child,” Patrol Officer Perri said.
When the officers walked William out to the patrol car to drive him home, he asked if they were taking him to jail.
One of the officers laughed and said, “No, I’m not going to put you in jail.”
They eventually found William’s home, which was surrounded by a white fence on all sides. William told them he just slipped through the fence.
Once the officers got in, William’s dad answered the door and got a shock.
“It’s kind of scary, actually,” William’s mom, Victoria, said. “Because we didn’t realize what was going on until after we came out (of the house).”
Victoria told the officers the family makes the walk to Chick-fil-A together often, but she can’t believe William would sneak out like that.
William’s parents are not in any trouble, and officers said the boy learned his lesson not to sneak out like that again.