UPDATE (5.12.16): Tony Stevens heard back from CPS and the boy was successfully reunited with his family on Wednesday. No other details were available. Out of respect for the child’s family, we have removed the image of him. Here’s the original post:
Police are remaining tight-lipped after a young boy was found wearing only a diaper at the corner of Abrams and Reiger Avenue around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.
“I can confirm that officers did respond to a call at the 5600 block of Reiger Avenue in regards to a child being found,” officer Melinda Gutierrez to the Advocate. She declined to answer questions about whether the child had been identified, whether his parents had been found or whether the parents could face charges in this incident. “At this time we do not have any information to release,” she says.
Junius Heights neighbor Tony Stevens, the man who helped get the young boy into safe hands, says the child seemed in perfect health, was alert and clean and showed no signs of distress.
“Someone has lost a very well-taken-care-of child,” he says. “He smelled good, he was very happy. He didn’t cry once…. He even had product in his hair.”
Stevens was meeting a friend early this morning at his home on Reiger Avenue when he saw a man approaching with the young boy, asking if he knew whose child it was. The man told Stevens that he saw the boy toddling down Abrams and pulled over, but had to leave quickly to get to work.
“I never did catch that man’s name,” Stevens says. “I called the cops right away.”
He says the child couldn’t speak well, and wasn’t able to respond when asked “where’s mommy?” or “where’s daddy?”
Stevens says police came quickly and spent two hours with the boy at his property before Child Protective Services showed up to take the child into custody. Stevens waiting to hear a report back from CPS about whether the child’s family had been located.
In an effort to get the word out, Stevens posted the story and above photo of the boy on the Lakewood Facebook page with the following: “THIS IS NOT A JOKE…. Found child at Reiger and Abrams at 730 am. Around two, tall, can’t speak much. Please send to everyone you know!!!! call 911 HE IS WITH POLICE CPS ON WAY.. Update…. CPS has him now…. Still call 911 with any info! IF ANYONE FINDS OUT WHEN HIS MOM OR DAD FIND HIM… Let me know please… I’d like to sleep tonight!…. SIDENOTE… Really????? I mean come on??? Check “Find a Baby” off the list.”
This story was updated 5.11.16 after we were able to speak with Tony Stevens, who found the young boy.
