Concerned citizens are appealing to parents and guardians across Antigua and Barbuda to exercise greater care and ensure their homes are properly secured after a young child was reportedly found alone along a roadside early Friday morning.

The appeal followed an incident in which a man encountered the child at about 1 a.m. and immediately contacted the police.

The man remained with the child until officers arrived and assisted in locating the child’s home. The child was subsequently reunited safely with his parents.

According to information shared about the incident, it is believed the child may have awakened and wandered outside after the adults in the home fell asleep. The parents may not have realised that a door had been left open or unsecured.

A concerned citizen who highlighted the incident said it should serve as a warning to parents to check their surroundings and ensure all doors are secured before going to bed.

The citizen also praised the man who found the child for acting responsibly, staying with him and contacting the authorities instead of leaving him alone.

“This could have been much, much worse,” the citizen warned, noting that the parents could have awakened to discover their child missing.

Concern was also raised about what could have happened if the child had been encountered by someone with harmful intentions or wandered into traffic or another dangerous situation.

Parents and guardians are therefore being urged to check on young children before going to sleep, lock doors and other possible exits, and ensure children cannot leave their homes without an adult noticing.

The citizen expressed hope that the family and other parents would learn from the incident and take additional precautions to prevent a recurrence.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Concerned Citizens Urge Parents to Secure Homes After child Found Wandering at 1 a.m..