5 year old kindergarten kid hits the road

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Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

Last Tuesday, at 5 pm, a boy aged 5 walked off a Lasnamäe kindergarten. Till late at night, he spent time riding buses and streetcars, all the way to railway station Balti Jaam – without any adult interested in a little kid out on his own.

As usual, elder brother was supposed to come get the kid on Tuesday. The child got dressed up, announced to an educator the bro had arrived and he’s leaving. As it was evening, the educator suspected no evil.

But when the brother really showed up, lights went on. Both educator and elder brother launched a search around the kindergarten and home. Immediately, the educator tried to contact Mother – at this, she succeeded a couple of hours later.

Police was notified at 8 pm. The child’s description was forwarded to mobile units and security staff working in town. All got busy looking for the boy, the mobile unit securing the help of trained dogs.

A little before 9 pm, a man in his 60ies found the boy walking in the Viru shopping centre underground tunnel, taking him to security guards who delivered the child to a police mobile unit. The little adventurer, who in a couple of hours managed to visit various stores, ride buses and streetcars, and take a tour in Balti Jaam railway station, was then taken safely home by the police.

«Despite hiking across town both on foot and various public transport, and not having a hat on, he was quite perky and healthy when found,» said the Northern Prefecture youth department head Helle Soots.

«What is troubling, however, is the inattention and indifference of grown-ups who, many hours passing, never took the trouble to ask the kid where his parents were, where he was going alone, or if all was OK,» she added, noting that as a rule, five year olds are not seen walking about alone and that, as parents, we would not imagine sending a kindergarten kid downtown to look around.

«All went well, this time. The little braveheart is back home,» said Ms Soots. «However, this cannot be taken for granted. And therefore, we grownups have to intervene and see to the security of the weaker ones.»

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