SALEM — A 3-year-old boy was found walking alone on Palmer Street by a U.S. Postal Service employee, leading to a police response and an investigation into a local daycare’s supervision practices.
Salem Police Department officers arrived on the scene at 11:17 a.m. on Dec. 8 after being alerted to the young child’s situation.
The boy, dressed in a long-sleeved shirt, sweatpants, and socks, was immediately attended to by medical personnel and transported to North Shore Medical Center for precautionary evaluation.
During the incident, representatives from Salem Community Childcare Inc. on Congress Street approached officers, stating they were searching for a child missing from their facility.
The child had managed to exit the daycare at 10:43 a.m. without staff notice.
The child’s parents have been notified, and a report has been filed with the Department of Children and Families.
Further investigation will be conducted in coordination with the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care to assess the circumstances that led to the child’s unsupervised departure from the daycare.
The Salem Police Department is actively investigating the incident to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children under the care of local childcare providers.
