- The 12-year-old was discovered Monday morning after being locked in the store
- The child was a runaway whose parents had reported him missing
- No charges will be filed in the case, authorities said
An Ohio boy was discovered by an employee in a Target after spending the night alone in the store.
The 12-year-old was locked inside the Target at 8100 East Broad Street in Blacklick, about four miles outside of Reynoldsburg.
He was discovered by an employee around 6:15 am on Monday morning.
Columbus police said the child was a runaway whose parents reported him missing on Sunday.
He was taken to Franklin County Children Services before his parents were notified of his whereabouts.
A 12-year-old Ohio boy was discovered Monday morning by a Target employee after being locked in the store overnight
The child was a runaway whose parents reported him missing on Sunday, Columbus police said
Shopper Brian Taylor said he was surprised no one discovered the child before he closed the store Sunday night
The child was reunited with his family on Monday afternoon.
Target customer Brian Taylor told WCMH he was shocked no one found the child before the store closed that night.
‘By the parents, by the employees, by whoever. Was he quiet? Is he hiding?’ Taylor said.
‘That’s terrible, terrible. I’m stunned.’
The store was open as usual all day and a representative of the retailer said the situation was resolved quickly.
“The well-being of our guests is our top priority,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the media.
“Our team in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, immediately contacted law enforcement when they found this child and cared for him until authorities arrived.”
No charges will be filed in the case, authorities said. Details about the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance have not been released.