4-year-old girl found wandering the streets of Cleethorpes at 4.30am
WHAT was a four-year-old child doing wandering the streets of Cleethorpes alone in the early hours of the morning?
That is the question a shocked factory worker was left asking after he found a "tiny, little girl" walking down the busy Grimsby Road, in Cleethorpes, at 4.30am.
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SHOCKED: Paul Collier was left shocked and distressed after alerting police to the four-year-old girl wandering down Grimsby Road at 4.30am. Picture: Jon Corken
Wearing only pink pyjamas and clutching her pink elephant soft toy, the trusting tot was found by Paul Collier outside the Tesco Express, on the corner of Daubney Street, braving the recent wet and windy weather.
Thought to be called Jessica or Jasmine, she told Mr Collier, 58 – who described finding her as "distressing and shocking" – that her mummy was asleep and she was looking for a drink.
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Mr Collier, a transport supervisor at M and J Seafood, in Grimsby, was taking a work colleague home after his nightshift when he noticed the child. He stopped the car abruptly and called Humberside Police for help and officers arrived in minutes.
He said: "I couldn't believe it. Where were her parents and how did she get out of the house?
"It was ridiculous, it could have been anyone who picked her up. This little girl was so trusting I think she would have got in anyone's car. I was in absolute shock more than anything else. It just felt like a dream."
It is not clear where the little girl had come from but the police returned her to her mother shortly after getting Mr Collier's call and are now working with North East Lincolnshire social services to find out how she came to be on the streets.
A Humberside Police spokesperson said: "Police were called at 4.30am by a member of the public who found a small child in the streets of Cleethorpes. The child was, after a short time, returned to her home address and mother's safety.
"Officers are now working with social services to establish the circumstances of the incident."
Mr Collier, of Hildyard Street, returned to work once he knew the girl was safe to shocked colleagues who also want answers as to why she was there.
"No one would believe me," added Mr Collier.
"My wife was livid when I told her, she couldn't believe a child so young would be able to get out and walk the streets alone.
"I couldn't stop thinking about it all day afterwards... all the 'what-ifs'. Imagine if I hadn't stopped and then I heard a child had gone missing.
"I could never forgive myself – although there were a lot of cars on the road that didn't stop.
"She was such a chatty, jolly, little girl which made me think she might not have been taught not to talk to strangers and that's what scared me the most. I am just glad it was me who stopped and no one else."
A council spokesperson confirmed: "We are aware of an incident concerning a small child and can report an investigation into the matter is underway."
Comments
by itsjustaride
Friday, September 28 2012, 6:46PM
“what happened to my +15 rating how did it plunge to -17??? who are these 32 people who cant accept reasoned argument?”
by amy93
Friday, September 28 2012, 6:45PM
“I don't think anyone is liable to comment negatively or judge the parenting skills when they do not know the full details of the situation.”
by littlemiss55
Friday, September 28 2012, 4:14PM
“I can see A+E being busy soon. When some of the people commenting on this item fall from their high horses!!!
No one knows what actually happened so why don't you all keep the name calling to yourselves!!! My son escaped when he was 4, not 4.30 in the morning but doesn't really matter what time. I took actions so he couldn't do it again but that was because he thought he'd go out and he did. Doesn't make me a bad mother and he would argue with anyone that said I was!!!”
by THEAPPLE
Friday, September 28 2012, 12:41PM
“WHY THE SHOUTING.is it right, a child is able to leave a house at any time without the knowledge of Ma or Pa,..NO
should dangerous thing like bleach,drug,stong drink,house keys be left were a child get get them,...NO
it may not be neglect (though it is) but it is not the done thing ,or else we would have heards of under 4s roaming the dawning streets,imagine if it had been the depths of winter,in her night wear ,she would have soon succumbed”
by oldclee38
Friday, September 28 2012, 9:43AM
“JUDGEMENTAL GRIMSBY.......I'M SO GLAD I'M NOT WORRIED WHAT YOU ALL THINK OF MY PARENTING AFTER MY COMMENT YESTERDAY RE: MY DAUGHTER. I KNOW I'M A BRILLIANT MUM. BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE SITUATION WHERE YOUR CHILD HAS WONDERED OFF WHILE YOU ARE IN TOWN OR THE SUPERMARKET......NOT A NICE FEELING.....GUT WRENCHING IN FACT.....UNTIL THEY ARE FOUND.......OH AND TO POINT OUT....YOU ARE WIDE AWAKE IN TOWN!!!! JUST THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH THE MENTION”
by jel1164
Friday, September 28 2012, 7:13AM
“People are pretty judgmental without knowing every detail. The story is sensationalized to sell papers!
I have two points that should be thought about from a different perspective.....
I have always left my keys in an available place for safety reasons such as a fire and I have never actually said to my children that they must not wonder out in the middle of the nigh. This child may not of wanted to wake the Mummy and Daddy and as most four year olds are becoming very independent this child may have just been being adventurous.
Point two Mr Collier insinuates that the majority of people who where in the Grimsby road area would be a danger to the child and thank goodness it was him?? 99.9% of people are good people so he is assuming that the .1% of bad, they were all driving along the main road at 4.30am. I don't think so.
I am just happy to know that in the invent that a child does become adventurous and decide to wander off that the chances are they will be returned safely are very high. I am pleased for all concerned :-)”
by clareee
Friday, September 28 2012, 6:39AM
“Lock up at night, put the keys out of reach of child...lesson learnt I think. Grimsby road in fact any place is a pretty dangerous place for a tot to be wandering alone at any time let alone at this time so people are bound to have strong opinions on this story and had I have found her the shock alone would have had me voicing them.The child is now safe right? which is the most important part, maybe the parents have never had reason to think the kiddi would try and get out and are kicking themselves for leaving the keys within reach, then again they could have been passed out drunk and left the door unlocked, maybe a teen siblin came in late and left the door unlocked , the point is we don't know the circumstances but the main point is that thankfully someone found her and she is now safe”
by GreatHasGone
Thursday, September 27 2012, 11:43PM
“I 'escaped from home at the age of 3. I got through a stair gate, out of the back door, onto my tricycle, out of the back garden which had a gate with a high bolt and I peddled off towards a main Rd to 'visit the toy shop'. My mum was pregnant at the time and she was alerted by a neighbour who had seen me go past without stopping me!
This was back in GY in the early 70's when people supposedly watched out for each other or 'this sort of thing never happened back in our day'! It was nothing to do with bad parenting on my Mum OR DADs part. Some young children often have a great sense of independence and are more than capable of getting through the best safety measures and past the most aware and caring parents. I just remember feeling 'very grown up' by not asking my parents and by being able to take myself to where I wanted to go.
How sad to read how quick some people are to judge and accuse without knowing the full facts.”
by MatQuinn
Thursday, September 27 2012, 6:18PM
“Paul, not John.”
by MatQuinn
Thursday, September 27 2012, 6:16PM
“Known Facts:- 4 Year old out, on her own at 4:30am, Grimsby Road?
I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous. Something has clearly gone wrong and this poor little girl could now easily be... well, lets leave that there.
An adult / Guardian should be held accountable. Thank christ John was one of the good guys in the town!”