Police launch investigation after one-year-old boy is found wandering the streets barefoot and without a coat – and it takes several hours to locate his parents
- Boy seen by neighbours wandering alone on Main Avenue in Torquay, Devon
- Took him in and told police, who began door-to-door enquiries to find parents
- The boy has now been taken into care and the parents identified by officers
Police have launched an investigation after a toddler was found wandering the streets alone barefoot and without a coat.
Neighbours spotted the one-year-old boy on Main Avenue, in Torquay, Devon, at 1.30pm yesterday and took him inside before calling police.
It took several hours of door-to-door enquiries before officers were finally able to locate his parents and the child was taken into care.
Neighbours spotted the one-year-old boy on Main Avenue, in Torquay, Devon, at 1.30pm yesterday (when it is pictured) and took him inside before calling police
One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I was there when the boy was found. He’s probably 18 months old. Walking but very limited speech.
‘Didn’t seem at all phased being in a stranger’s house. He seemed clean but had no shoes or socks on.
‘Insane how a child can be missing nearly 3 hours now and no one has noticed. Makes me wonder if something’s happened to the parents?’
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed the toddler had been taken into care and his parents identified.
The force, in a statement, said: ‘Police were called on January 2 to reports of young child being found in the street in Torquay.
‘The parents have been located and the boy is safe and well. Police investigations are ongoing.’
A police spokesman added: ‘We are currently making inquiries into the circumstances which led the child to be left in the street.’
It took several hours of door-to-door enquiries before officers (seen by Main Avenue in Torquay yesterday) were finally able to locate his parents and the child was taken into care