A frightening incident in Florida nearly turned tragic after a 5-year-old boy wandered away from home and was found just steps from a busy street. Police say two men responsible for watching him had already “given up” searching and returned home, with one even going to sleep.
Boy Found Wandering Toward Busy Road
According to police, officers responded to a call near an apartment complex on September 7 and spotted the child walking toward traffic. A group of teenagers who didn’t know the boy pulled him back from the road just as a vehicle passed by.
The child was able to tell officers his name and age but couldn’t explain where he lived. Fortunately, a resident recognized him and directed officers to his apartment.
Six Children Left at Home
When officers escorted the 5-year-old back, they discovered five other children inside. The kids explained that the boy often ran off and that the adults had looked for him briefly before giving up. According to the children, one of the men even went back inside and fell asleep.
Shortly after, 52-year-old Craig Darnell Presley appeared at the door “disheveled” and holding up his undone pants, officers wrote in their report. Despite his appearance, Presley denied being asleep.
Men Admit They Stopped Looking
Police later spoke with 27-year-old Chadrick Rodell Smith Jr., who admitted that both he and Presley had been left in charge while the boy’s mother and grandmother went grocery shopping.
Smith allegedly said that after searching briefly, he “couldn’t find him, so he returned home” and did not call authorities. Officers noted he seemed “unbothered” by the child’s disappearance.
Neither man contacted police or the boy’s family after realizing the 5-year-old was missing. Presley allegedly told officers during transport to jail that he was only watching his own children and wasn’t responsible for the boy.
Arrests and Court Proceedings
Both Presley and Smith were arrested and charged with neglect of a child without great bodily harm.
Craig Darnell Presley (52): Released on his own recognizance after paying owed child support.
Chadrick Rodell Smith Jr. (27): Held on $25,000 bond; has two prior felony convictions.
Police have not confirmed the men’s exact relationship to the boy.
Close Call Raises Alarms
Authorities stressed how close this case came to ending in tragedy, noting that the child was pulled back from the road only seconds before a car passed. The case underscores the dangers of neglect and the importance of immediate action when a child goes missing.
