Police arrested a mother and father after their 8-year-old autistic child was found wandering the streets in clothes unsuitable for the weather conditions.
Officers said the parents didn't know the boy was missing because they were asleep. Waiel Khamiss, 54, and his 39-year-old wife, Tajmah Khamiss face felony child deprivations charges.
"It was around 3 p.m. on Christmas when a concerned citizen saw the boy walking in the streets near Poplar Ridge Drive in Rex. Wandering the area wearing a T-shirt, boxer shorts, one sneaker and a flip flop," Clayton County police spokesperson Charlene Watson Fraser said.
The person called police after noticing the boy as he jumped into an unoccupied car. Officers arrived, but since the child is non-verbal they couldn't locate his family.
Police took the child to headquarters and called DFACS. Meanwhile, several officers were called off patrol and from other precincts to go door to door trying to find the boy's family. That's when 911 dispatch received a call from the area from a mother who said her son was missing. Officers said the mother told them she initially had no idea her son was missing.
"Her and her husband were upstairs sleeping at the time and their 14-year-old was supposed to been watching the child," Fraser said.
What the mother said next led to her and her husband's arrest.
"The mom stated to the officers that this is not the first time that the child wandered off out of the house," Fraser said.
Police said the parents should have taken greater precautions given the child's history of running away.
Neighbor Brandon Griffin said the family recently moved in and made it clear the boy would often get out of the home.
"They did make my home aware that their son was autistic and he does like to explore," Griffin told Channel 2s Tom Jones.
He agreed with police that more precautions needed to be taken to keep him from getting away.
"There at least needs to be a fence or some kind of bell on the door," Griffin said.
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