SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police used ground and air support to rescue a 4-year-old child who disappeared from his home during freezing temperatures early Friday morning.
Police were called out to a home on Foxboro Street, near Tezel and Guilbeau on the northwest side, around 12:50 a.m. for a report of a missing child.
The child's parents told police they put the child to bed around 11 p.m., and around 12:45 a.m., they checked their child's room and he was missing from the bed.
Authorities say the parents searched for their child when they realized the back door was open, which is when they called police.
SAPD searched the home before calling in for air and ground support. The temperature at the time he was reported missing was 25 degrees.
Police closed off the area and began an intense search of the neighborhood and nearby park. The boy was found in the yard of a neighbor's home 2 1/2 hours after he was reported missing, police said.
Moira Stai, who lives nearby, recalls hearing frantic yells and witnessing several police cars. She wonders why the boy would go off in the freezing cold by himself. There are still unanswered questions how the boy ended up in a neighbor's backyard after initially leaving his home.
Stai is just grateful the child was found safe and sound.
“It’s good that they found him and found him quickly. To think of people who never find their kid once they go missing so for them to have found him was really good," Stai said.
The child was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for exposure due to being out in the freezing temperatures.
KENS 5 reached out to the family and was greeted by the boy's grandfather who was unable to go on camera. He did say the boy is back home and doing well.