She was just walking around outside. >> Yeah. >> Did you cross the road? >> Mommy knock. >> 4:00 in the morning to find your daughter across the street. Y'all understand how quick she could have been gone? If you can't handle being a parent, don't have kids. >> On March 23rd, 2025, officers responded to a hotel after a child was found wandering alone across a five-lane highway. The 4-year-old had exited her hotel room while her parents were intoxicated and was located by a concerned citizen at a neighborhood motel. >> How's it going? Do you mind if we take her inside? It's a little cold. >> I love her. I got to go. >> Oh, you have to go. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Do you have a driver's license with you, sir? >> Yes. >> Me, too. >> How are you doing? What's that? Oh, there she goes. >> Hey, do you mind sitting right here with us? >> Where did you end up finding her? >> Oh, sorry. >> She was just walking around outside. >> Yeah, >> do you want to sit in a police car? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. Well, then you got to stay right here. Okay. >> Okay. And then then you can sit in the police car with all the lights. All right. >> Okay. >> Are you ready to go sit in a police car? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. You got to follow me. All right. >> Okay. >> You come here. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. You guys sit down. All right. >> Here. I'll help you out. All right. You ready? Whoa. All right. You guys sit still. Okay. >> Okay. >> All right. And give me one second. Okay. >> Okay. >> I see you. Would you mind filling something out for me? Statement form. Okay. Are you being good? >> Yeah. >> You're cold? >> Your tongue is so cold. >> What's that? >> My cold right now. >> I wouldn't touch that. That's all gross. That's all gross. Are you warm? >> No. >> No. >> Are you cold? >> I am. >> All right. Well, how about this? How about I get you a jacket? You want a jacket? >> Here. Give me one second. I almost fell down. >> You almost fell down. >> Yeah. >> You want to wear the jacket? Are you cold? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And there you go. Are you a little warmer now? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. >> Just like that. >> Yeah. >> Like you did. >> It's just like that one. >> Yeah. That's cool. >> That's cool. Right. Thank you, sir. I appreciate it. Where did you find her at? Exactly. >> Oh, I was coming down. She was in the walking down the staircase. >> She was walking down the staircase. >> Yes. I was uh trying to make her tell me where she she at. >> Okay. >> She she went all the way up to come down. Then she want to go across the street. So she's pointing me a lot to that building. >> She's pointing over there. >> Uhhuh. I ring the bell because I saw this child walking on the parking lot and I don't want to wake you up. >> You said she was walking down the stairs. >> Wait a minute. Let me >> If you're going to come out then I I know it's a some kids from 214. >> 214. Could you check the second floor while I stay with her? see if there's any doors open where she might have been able to walk out. And if you could also check to see if uh 214 is missing her if she ended up running out the door without them knowing about it. Do you know which room you're in? >> Yeah. Which room are you in? >> Which one? >> You want to get out? >> You don't want to be warm? >> Why not? Well, here. How about you stay in here and I open up the door? >> Okay. >> Okay. You mind if I turn the heat on a little higher for you? >> Okay. Where's your jacket? You didn't want to wear it anymore? >> No. Do you mind sitting right there for me, though? Hey, do you mind sitting right here? It's cold outside. You're going to get your feet all cold. >> No, I don't want to. I want to get out. >> You want to get out? >> Yeah. >> Well, here. Grab your jacket first. Here. Be careful, sweetheart. If you want to come down, that's fine. But here, put your jacket on. >> What's on your shirt? What's on your pajamas? Is that a fox? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I like it. Hey, who who are you here with? Are you here with mommy? >> Yeah. And daddy, too. >> Mommy and daddy, too. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Did you guys come in a car or a truck? >> In a black car. >> In a black car? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Is it in this part? Do you know? >> Where do you think it is? Do you know what mommy's name is? What do people call mommy? >> Caitlyn. >> Caitlyn. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Mommy's Caitlyn. And what about daddy? >> Papa. >> They call him papa. >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. Caitlyn and papa. Is this mommy or daddy's car? >> Yeah. >> This is it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Where do you usually sit in the car? Do you sit in the front or the back? >> We're going back this way now. >> H. Were you walking down the stairs earlier? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You've been staying upstairs or downstairs here? >> Ryan is now. >> Whose car is this? >> Is this daddy's car? >> This is >> Yeah, I >> Hey, come back over here for a minute. Run this too till we find a Caitlyn. I guess I got kids stuff in this one. >> And what's your name? >> You're Caitlyn? Do you have any brothers or sisters? time. >> Yeah. >> Where are they at? Are they at home or are they here with you? >> I think it's in car. >> They're in the car. >> In car. >> Did you come from this building here? >> Yeah. >> Hang on. Don't walk over there. It's dangerous. Did you cross the road? Do you remember? Do Did you cross the road? >> You did? >> Yeah. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Do you think mommy's black car is over there somewhere? >> Huh? >> That one away. >> They went away. >> Yeah. Where are you going? >> To your bed. >> My mommy's in my driveway. >> Stay 10:12. I'm going to go over there. I think she might be from over there. I asked her if she should cross the road and she kind of said, "Yeah." So, let me go try and run some black cars over there real quick. Do you know which room is yours? >> Um, and my mom and my daddy. >> You got to go up here. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> My mom. >> Hey, are your feet getting cold? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Your feet are cold? Yeah. >> You want me to pick you up? >> Here. Put it in your pocket. >> Here. You got pockets right here. See? Got a pocket right there. All right. Come here. All right. You ready? >> But where do you stay in? Which room? >> I stay down here. >> You stay down here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Do you know if it's this side or is it the other side? >> Which side? >> Are you on this one or the other one? >> The other one? >> Mhm. >> Okay. You getting cold? >> Yeah. Yeah. You want to go back to the car where it's warm? >> No. Scary. >> It's scary. >> Yeah. >> It's not scary. Are you down this way? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. Which one is yours? >> No. Look. >> Do you see your room? >> No. >> No. >> My >> Which one? >> My dad. >> This one? >> Yeah. I can't. >> This one's not your room. >> A Why? Mommy's not in there. >> No, mommy's not in there. Here, I'm going to put you down for a second. Okay. >> And then we're going to go sit in the car cuz I know that you are cold. All right. >> You just said you were cold. >> I'm warm. I said I'm warm. >> Were you lying? >> No, I'm warm right now. I warm. >> Are you warm now? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I saw your father heading that way yesterday in the afternoon when I can't. I remember I seen like a family with about five kids about her going to the hotel over there walking >> and they walked over to there. What's that, sweetheart? your room. >> You think your room's over there? >> No. >> Yes. Do you see your room? Where is your mom? >> Okay. >> Well, over there. >> Right there. >> Let's take a seat. Do you want to meet another deputy? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Hello, man. Good morning. What's going on? >> This little one got >> walking down the steps over there by this gentleman. Hello, Sheriff's Office. Hello, Sheriff's Office. Good morning. How are you today? >> Good. Do you have a daughter? >> What's her name? >> Yeah. Well, she's she's across the street and she has been for about 40 minutes now. She's okay. I'm trying to figure out what's going on with you guys. What? Who? Who's that? >> Um, that's your dad. >> Okay. Can you wake him up, too? Hey, you good? >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. You cold? >> No. >> How did you get out? >> I got out. >> You got out? >> Yeah. >> YOU OPENED THE DOOR. >> HERE, watch your leg. We're going to go see mommy and daddy. Okay. >> Sheriff's office, go ahead and wake up. [music] >> Good morning. Did we have a late night last night? >> Sure. We got here very late. >> Yeah. and then started drinking or >> um Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. Why Why do I have to come here at 4:00 in the morning to find your daughter across the street? We've been looking for you guys for a while now. Why? Why is that? >> Don't know. >> I don't know either. Hey, why don't you get up and come over here and talk to me? >> Which one's your car right here? >> Your daughter was able to tell us that her mom was maybe Caitlyn in a black car. We've been looking for you guys. And then I come this way and your door's wide open and you guys are just passed out drunk or whatever. So, that's not the best. Do you agree? Yeah. Why don't we get her back here and then we'll go from there. How does that sound? Yes. >> Okay. Can I see your ID? All right, sweetheart. You ready? >> Yeah. >> We're going to go see your mommy. All right. >> My daddy >> and your daddy. You ready? >> Whoa. Big job. You live up here. >> Yeah. >> We were able to find mommy and daddy. Thanks for your help. All right. You ready? Put your arms up. >> Mommy and daddy, I'm hurrying. >> Put your arms up. >> Mommy and Daddy, I hurry. Mom, I'm hurrying. >> Here, I'm going to take this off. Okay. >> Okay. >> You warm now? Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Y'all lock the door last night before going to sleep. >> Do what? >> Okay. >> Pretty sure it was. >> Has she ever done this before? She ever opened up the door and walked out before? >> No. Okay. How old are y'all? >> 23. >> 23. You're how old? Okay. It's 41 degrees outside and your daughter is wearing a short sleeve pajama outfit with no shoes on. >> Yeah. Oh my goodness. >> That precious child that is. She is beautiful. >> Oh my god. >> And y'all decided to have some drinks last night and whatever happened and she slips out of you out like y'all understand how quick she could have been gone. You can't tell me that there's not humaning going on in this area. There's somebody out here right now that would love to snatch up a four-year-old and never see her again. If you can't handle being a parent, don't have kids cuz you're lucky you're both not going to jail right now and we're calling for DCF to come pick up your kid. Do I make myself clear? We're going to write up a report and it's going to show that this has previously happened. I would do everything in my power to make sure that she can't get out this door. Okay? If y'all need resources, if you need help, if you're struggling, if whatever the case may be, let us know and we can get you guys some help with maybe you have a drinking problem, maybe you're just down on your luck, maybe life sucks right now, whatever. But don't let your situation funnel down to your child, okay? There's there's stuff out there to help people, but people seem like they don't want to get help when we when it's available, okay? Because it's going to end up getting y'all locked up really quick. Do I make myself clear? Okay. Are you guys living here right now? >> No. Just for the night. >> Just for the night. Where will you be tonight? We need you. >> Right here. >> Here again. >> Probably be here again. >> Yeah. I got >> Okay. I know he told you the severity of this, but it's not like she was just downstairs. She was across the street and over there and some random citizen found her. >> He was from Miami. So, if he had bad intentions, you would have never seen that child probably ever again. >> I'm going to be honest with y'all. At 4:23 this morning, I was coming through here, lights and sirens, doing 85 mph trying to get to someone else. If she came across as I'm doing 85 through here, and I hear her trying to get to someone else, >> not to mention this roadway right here. It's nothing but truckers falling asleep and everything else. >> Have y'all had DCF involved in your life? whatsoever. Nothing. >> Okay. All right, cutie. We're going to get out of here. Okay. Hey, look at me. Don't open the door. Okay. >> Oh, you're hungry. >> Y'all got money for food and everything? Okay. All right. All right, guys. Have a good day. Okay. >> I'm getting more something. [snorts] >> Go ahead. >> Thanks, guys. >> Yep. >> Hey. Hey. How you doing? My name is Anthony from the departmenties and investigator. I told you I was coming. All right. >> Yeah. >> All right. How you doing? I'm just here to talk to you regarding what happened and took place incident. Do you mind for coming? >> Okay. >> All right. Anybody else on? >> No, sir. >> If you thought I'll be coming as well. >> Yep. Yep. >> For sure. >> Pretty much what I got to do go over the allegations with you and after I go over the allegations, I'm going to just take a picture of your room and where um the baby sleeps at and then the food and things like that. And then I, you know, list a couple of services and things that I can provide for you in your um What does What does he work at? I I think it's called Sunro Solutions. >> Yes. >> Oh, okay. March 23rd, 2025 at 4:30 a.m. The child was able to get out of the hotel room. She then wandered around the parking lot, across the main state highway, across five lanes, and she was found by a citizen at a neighbor motel. The child was not harmed. The family bounces from hotel to hotel. >> Pretty much bounc around from round from hotel to hotel. Does that sound accurate? Anything true or not true about that? >> Right now, yes. and I just came back to him. Me and him have been separated, so I just came back to him two nights before my daughter got out of the room. I usually stay with my mom in Reic, but now we're basically staying here. So, >> was that Reic, New Jersey? >> Uh, what's that? Reick, Florida. >> Reic, Florida. Re, Florida. Okay. And usually that's where you stay at. >> It was, but basically now I do live with him in a hotel currently. >> Okay. What's What's mom's address? she's a reliable support and things like that to you regardless of you know what's going on with you and her >> like with me. >> No, you said you just coming back to him and stuff like that. I'm pretty sure that might have been a situation leading you to go back to him, right? >> I stay My mom is disabled so usually that's why I would stay with her but um she can't take care of herself. So I just decided to come stay the night with him one night. >> Okay. >> And then I just have it left. >> And he is the father to baby. >> Yes, he is father. Yes. >> Okay. And his name is Derek. >> Yeah. Is it spelled D E R I C? Regarding the allegations, can you tell me a little bit about what happened? What took place? You know, >> I'm not really sure I had been drinking. I know that when we first got to the hotel, all three of us laid down. I was exhausted on top of drinking. So, I know all three of us laid down. She had her tablet. She was laying in between us in the bed. I know that she had shut her eyes. I guess she fell asleep for a few minutes with us. And then we both fell asleep. And then I woke up to the cops telling me that she got up. >> What bed does she sleep on? Did she sleep on the one door? >> She sleeps in whichever one I sleep in. >> What bed did she sleep in? >> Right here. This one. >> So you was laying next to her when she went to sleep. >> Yeah. It wasn't at this one. It was at the red roof and >> um Yeah, I think that's the name of it. Next door. >> Next door. Okay. So she was in your bed during the time that that happened. >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. And then he was in the other bed and >> No, she was in between both of us. So, in the other hotel, you guys had a queen size or full? >> Um, it was twins like twins. >> Was it put together or separate? >> No, they were separate like this, but we were in the one on the opposite side, but we were all three in the same bed. >> And you guys were just completely intoxicated in the field when she got up or anything like that. >> Yeah. I didn't hear I didn't feel like it up. >> Did you guys lock the door before going to sleep or >> No, sir. >> So, pretty much the allegations are are are pl there. Okay. So, what are you going to do next time? Black pepper. >> Black pepper >> and not drink. >> What did What was you drinking? >> I had had a few bush um like two bush beers. But then we had also had liquor which was crown and then that was it. >> How often do you guys drink? >> Every once in a while, but like last night I haven't had my daughter since yesterday. So last night we got here >> cuz she wasn't here but we don't drink with her anymore. >> Okay. Awesome. So what I'm going to do I want to drink this is for It's not for law enforcement or anything like that. This does stay with you. It just lets me know what I need to provide you with like pertaining to services and things like that. We do have fizz, we do have light streams, we have all those other things, too. So, um I'm going to get this to you right now if you can. >> It's already locked in a plastic thing right there. So, just rip it open, you know, do your business, come out and just hold it up. Um don't run water or anything like that when you're in there. >> Okay. >> Real quick before you do that, she has an aunt, right? Your child? >> Yes. Is she with her? >> Yeah. >> Do you know her address? >> I don't, but she lives right literally the house right next to my mom's house. >> What's your mom's address? >> Are the boxing or anything like that or are you taking the medications? >> I taking you prescription for that? >> No, sir. >> You don't? Okay. What's those three letters right there? It's the same thing. So, you are you taking anything else? Any other prescriptions or anything else? >> No. That's just it, right? >> No, sir. That's >> Do you have those on? >> No. You took them already? >> Yeah, I only had >> So, like I said, this right here, you can disclose that and that stays space with you. So, this right here is just saying that we did a So, I'll reach out to you um sometime this week. I want to also put in some services for the baby and stuff like that. You guys are moving from hotel to hotel, right? Yes, sir. >> So, that means you are looking for like housing and his dad is uh trying to help us when his dad gets paid in a couple weeks. He's going to try to help us get into an actual house. >> Okay. So, I'll probably call you back and give you some service and stuff like that. Then I'm going to need that location there. Okay. >> So, he'll be staying here. >> Yes, sir. So, he'll be here. My daughter gets back as well. So, we'll all be together. >> So, he'll be back tomorrow. Well, tonight >> he's coming back tonight, but he's supposed to be off Saturday and Sunday. So, yeah. >> Real quick, obviously, you were talking about earlier how whenever you were woken up, law enforcement was here and everything like that. I'd love to have a conversation with you about that if you're willing to have it with me. I do have to read you something. Just because we're doing an obviously we're doing an investigation on our part and we kind of given you the perception that you're not kind of free to leave because there's so many of us around. So I'm just going to read you your rights because of that doesn't mean you're in any trouble. It's just because of what I just told you. You understand each of these rights as I've explained them to you? Yes. >> Having these rights in mind, are you fine with having a conversation with me? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. But put your hands behind your back. >> You want your phone ID with you? >> Yes, please. You can take your phone down there and um if correction staff allow it, they sometimes allow you to take your phone or take contacts out of your phone. Okay. So, I can tell there's no weapons on you. I'm just going to the back on your pockets. Okay. Do you have anything illegal on you? Anything like that at all? Okay. I'm just letting you know. And this is the same speech I give anybody. Okay. If you introduce it into the jail, it's thirdderee felony. Okay. So, if there's anything on here in I need to know >> now. Okay. >> You guys go through the court. So, it's not 100% completed yet. When did you guys start the court process of uh open vouch? >> So what does that do for help? >> Usually when I get a case I got to run through all the cars and the crims and stuff like that just to find out there's other children or whatever else involved. >> Yeah. And you didn't find it because it's not done >> pretty much. >> So what problems does that give to you? >> To us is that we have to locate the child to make sure that that was really something that really happened. make sure that what she's saying is actually the truth that she really did go through the court process or whatever else cuz if she didn't then that's really you can't just guilt the child or whatever else. >> Was it abandonment? >> Pretty much so. And then on top of that we have to figure out where that child is and that child. >> All right. Go ahead and step out of the car. The parents were arrested and charged with CNN.