Daniel Hunter was done with a full day shift working at Wendy’s. His dad picked him up and the two headed home.
As the men chatted about the day, Daniel noticed something in the street to his left. He couldn’t believe it.

“I was like, wait, that’s a kid,” Hunter said to his father. “Dad, that’s a kid. He was like wait, what? That’s a kid.”

A little girl was running across streets and main road. She was alone and there was no parent in sight. It was below 50 degrees outside. She wore just a diaper, T-shirt and little boots. They realized in a moment that something had to be done. They took action.

“So he turned around and did a 180 and as we were driving she had crossed the street and was trying to make her way across Eglin (Parkway).” Hunter described.

“She ran and I was like this … Come on. Come here … and she ran to me and hugged me and was crying for her mom.”

After comforting the child, the men took went to the police station with hopes of finding her parents.

Apparently, the little girl’s father had left her at home asleep as he briefly stepped out to pick up his wife. He didn’t want to wake her from her rest and expected a very quick return. During that small trip, the toddler woke up and escaped from the house out into the neighborhood.

Daniel describes the moment they were reunited.

“When he saw her he hugged her for dear life. He was very emotional about it,” Hunter said. “Understandable.”

The young father, 25-year-old Kenneth Toledo was charged with child endangerment and has since been released from jail.

What a blessing that this young girl was protected from harm’s way.

Prayers for families, guidance for parents and forgive.

The father has since been released from jail. Hopefully, he’s learned his lesson.