Cop Spots Siblings Hanging Around during School Hours, Learns They Live Alone for Months – Story of the Day

Officer Markson saw four children walking around when they should’ve been at school, but they ran off as soon as they saw him. At the station, he discovered their story and promised to help them.

Allan’s morning shifts were always calm. At first, it was a mess with the morning rush as people drove their kids to school and then to work. The honk of cars and traffic saturated the streets of his hometown for a long time.

But at some point, everything settled. Fewer vehicles were on the streets, and only some people walked around to get a coffee at the local shop or just stroll. So, Allan always took some time to do that as well.

Waiting in his squad car was sometimes dull, especially since his partner had retired from the force. They had yet to assign him a new one, so he often walked, got himself a coffee and donut – yes, he always embraced the cliché – and people-watched.

Nothing ever happened. That’s the beauty of a small town in America. It was always peaceful. The department sometimes had to deal with drugs or robberies, which usually happened at night. Allan’s shift was mainly peaceful.

He had to be vigilant because innocent things could still be slightly off. That’s what happened that morning. After throwing away his empty to-go coffee cup and napkin. He saw four kids hanging around near the park.

One of them was in a wheelchair, and he frowned. Shouldn’t they be in school? Allan wondered, keeping his eyes on them. The kids kept walking, not noticing him yet. They entered an alleyway next to the bakery and knocked on the back door.

An employee he had seen in the shop quickly passed them two brown paper bags and went back inside. The kids smiled happily at each other and walked off, heading for the other exit of the alley. Allan hesitated, wondering if he should get his car, follow them, or keep walking.

Ultimately, he decided to walk and saw them sitting on the bench, enjoying pastries and bread. The cop immediately realized they must be day-old goods that the bakery couldn’t sell. But that only raised more alarms in his head.

Finally, he decided to talk to them. “Hey, kids!” he called loudly, waving and grinning.

The eldest of the kids, a girl who couldn’t be older than 14, turned to him first. Her eyes bulged after noticing Allan’s uniform. “RUN!” she told the others, and they bolted. Allan started running too.

One of the younger kids pushed the one in the wheelchair for dear life, but the eldest and another separated them from them, and he had no idea who to follow. His confusion and hesitation cost him dearly because, soon enough, the kids were gone.

“CPS has been looking for these kids for months, Officer Markson,” a colleague, Officer Hernandez, told him. “However, we didn’t have any clues of their whereabouts for a while until you reported them. I don’t know why. After that story about the bakery, I would think the community would’ve said that four siblings, one with Down Syndrome, are alone in the world.”

Allan felt terrible. He could’ve helped but scared them instead. “What else do you know?”

“Their parents died early this year,” the other cop continued. “They bounced around a few shelters. The kid with Down Syndrome was sent to a foster home. But suddenly, they took off. All four disappeared from their shelters and homes. They have been in hiding for months. They’re sneaky.”

“Do you know why they ran from their homes?”

“No idea. My best guess would be that they don’t like being separated,” Officer Hernandez shrugged. “But I mean that kid with the disability needs real care from adults. His siblings can’t help him.”

“That’s terrible,” Allan said sadly.

“Yes,” his friend agreed. “Well, we can search for them now that you spotted them. The cops on the case thought they had left town.”

“Yeah, let’s find and get them help,” he smiled slightly, hopeful about helping those poor kids.

For a few days, Allan and several of his colleagues waited by the park, near the bakery, near the school, and everywhere else they could think of. But the kids didn’t appear.

“You were right. They’re not just sneaky. They’re careful,” he commented to Officer Hernandez at the end of his shifts. They had once again been unsuccessful.

“Maybe, we’re approaching things wrong,” his colleague suggested. “Maybe, we need to get out of uniforms and try to approach them, not as the law but just as regular people.”

“Well,” Allan tilted his head. “That sound like a good idea. I’ll do it. Maybe one person is better than a search party.”

“Yeah,” Hernandez nodded.

It was evening on that same unsuccessful day, and Allan was in his civilian clothes, waiting near the bakery. It was the only place he had seen them. The police had talked to the employee who gave them food before, but he only shook his head and wouldn’t say much.

“I just don’t want to throw food out,” the man said. “I don’t know them.”

Finally, he saw the eldest girl walking by. So, they decided not to be seen together. That’s smart, Allan thought, as she repeated what he had seen the other day. The employee came out, gave her the bags, and talked for a while. She nodded thoughtfully, and Allan guessed the man had warned her.

“Hey,” Allan said, blocking her way out of the alley.

The girl looked down and tried to dodge him, but he followed. “Excuse me, please,” she said in a low voice.

“Hey, it’s me. The cop from the other day,” Allan expressed. “Please, don’t run.”

Her eyes had gotten big again, and she was prepared to bolt. “Stop following us!”

“Please! Don’t! If you don’t let me help, it’ll get worse. More cops will join the search,” he begged her. “It’ll be worse. How long can you and your siblings be on the streets without adult help?”

The girl froze. “How do you know about us?”

“Everyone on the force knows about you now,” he replied. “We only want to help. You’re too young to be alone, not going to school and caring for your siblings.”

“You don’t know anything about us!” she spat, but her eyes watered. “No adult wants to help us. They just want to hurt us.”

Allan rubbed his forehead. “I really want to help. You just need to tell me everything,” he said. “Why are you running from social services? Is it because you’re separated all the time? I’m sure we can work something out.”

“It’s not just that,” the girl continued, desperate. “The social worker said they always send kids with disabilities to this ‘great couple,’ but they hurt him! They bully him! They’re evil! I can’t leave my brother to them.”

The cop felt her honesty and knew the system was flawed. There were so many kids with many needs but few people willing to care for them. It was terrible, but it was a reality. He would investigate that couple later, but he had to get these kids to safety now.

He asked for her name. It was Sarah. “Sarah, I promise I will personally investigate that couple that hurt your brother, but I need to know where your siblings are right now. You can’t be alone on the streets. The four of you deserve a future,” Allan commented carefully.

“I can do it,” Sarah countered, but her voice broke.

“You seem like a strong girl, but you can’t. You’re still a kid,” he continued gently. “Please, let me help. I’m a cop. I know I’m not wearing a uniform, but here’s my badge. Please, trust me.”

Sarah looked at the badge and nodded as fat tears fell from her eyes.

The kids were picked up at an abandoned house where they had lived for months despite the cold in their town. Allan asked social services about the couple who took in the kids and told them not to send Sarah’s brother there.

The social worker protested, but he was adamant. Finally, all the children stayed in the same shelter, and Allan visited them that week. Sarah’s siblings were George, Lila, and Kurt, and they seemed like amazing kids.

When it became clear that they would all be separated again, Allan called in several favors to his colleagues, who contacted other precincts and social service departments around the state. At last, they found a couple who had fostered successfully before and could take the four of them in.

They were three hours away from their small town, but the kids would be together. Allan went to the shelter to see them off and pulled Sarah to the side.

“Hey, if something happens, call me,” Allan whispered to the girl. “Don’t just run away. I’ll drive myself to pick you four up.”

Sarah gave him a wide genuine smile for the first time. “Thank you, Officer Markson. I will.”

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