An employee at a Columbus, Ohio, Target was opening up the store Monday morning when they found something unexpected – a child who apparently had been in the store overnight.
According to local news station NBC4 and the Columbus Dispatch, the 12-year-old boy was reported missing Sunday.
“The child’s parents are happy that he is safe and that he will be returning home shortly,” Columbus police spokeswoman Jennifer Watson said in an emailed statement, said a Monday report in the Columbus Dispatch.
A representative from Target said the situation was resolved quickly.
The store operated as normal throughout the day. It was around 6:15 a.m. when the Target employee found the boy at the 8100 E. Broad St. store, said NBC4. At first, the child was believed to be around 7 years old, the Columbus Dispatch reported. He was taken to Franklin County Children’s Services as officers worked to locate his family.
“Franklin County Children’s Services told NBC4 they were informed by police that the child was a runaway,” said the outlet. By 11:40 a.m. authorities identified the boy as the subject of a missing persons report.
Police do not expect any charges to be filed against the boy’s parents, said the Dispatch.
Data from the U.S. government indicates that 19% of youth run away from home at some point before they turn 18.
“Most unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness are over twelve, but research has identified youth as young as nine who experience homelessness unaccompanied,” said youth.gov.