Thanks to the shipping label in the trash... The baby wearing a diaper crying in the alley safely returned home

Contact Information Found on Delivery Invoice Amidst Pile of Trash

A three-year-old child, crying in a residential area wearing only a diaper, was safely returned to their family with the help of the police.

According to Yonhap News on the 21st, the Daejeon Metropolitan Police Agency received a report from a resident around 10 p.m. on the 21st of last month in Gajang-dong, Seo-gu, about a child crying naked. Officers including Sergeant Eom Tae-woo from the Naedong Police Substation of the Daejeon Western Police Station responded and found a boy, A (3), crying wearing only a diaper.

A wearing work clothes and holding snacks. [Image provided by Daejeon Police Agency]

When the police asked the child about his home, A pointed to a house. However, the door was locked and no one was inside. The police visited all units in the building where the child was found, but all the lights were off.

Eventually, the police said, "We will take you to your mother," and took A to the police substation. They also covered the trembling child with a towel and their uniform.

To find a guardian, the police checked A’s fingerprints, but since they were not registered, no information could be confirmed. The child was unable to accurately state his name or address, making communication difficult, so the police continued searching the initial discovery area.

[Image source=YouTube 'Daejeon Police Agency']

The police found a delivery slip in a pile of household trash and contacted the number listed on the slip. The phone number belonged to the building owner, and through this, the police were able to contact A’s mother and safely handed A over to his parents two hours after the disappearance.

It was confirmed that A had opened the front door and left while his mother, who had put him to sleep, briefly stepped out. Sergeant Eom Tae-woo said, "As a parent raising a child, I felt we had to quickly find A, who is very affectionate, so the team worked together wholeheartedly, and as a result, we were able to safely return the child to his family. If children’s fingerprints are registered, guardians can be quickly found in case of disappearance, so it is recommended to visit a nearby police station to register your child’s fingerprints."

Netizens who read this story responded with various comments such as, "Praise for the police’s prompt response. I will definitely register my child’s fingerprints," "Thank you and much appreciated," and "The child must have been so confused not seeing his mother. Glad he wasn’t hurt."