Toddler Walks A Mile At 3AM To Buy A Chocolate Egg!
August 7th, 2008
Three-year-old Max McGrath had an urge for a chocolate egg in the middle of the night, and nothing was going to stop him from satisfying his craving!
At 3 in the morning the toddler climbed out of bed, slipped on his brother’s shoes and armed himself with his pocket money and a front door key, before heading out on a mile-long walk to the shop.
Still dressed in his pyjamas, determined Max toddled through deserted streets in oversized shoes, crossing several roads, until he was finally spotted peering through the window of a closed supermarket.
Meanwhile, his family remained blissfully unaware of his adventures as they slept.
Newspaper delivery driver James Brown said he was stunned to see little Max outside the shop.
“I approached him and he told me in a very matter-of-fact way that he was going to the shop,” said James.
“He told me that his family were at home asleep.”
James took Max back to the family home at 4am and, when he could not wake Max’s parents, called police and explained what had happened.
“He was fine but it must have been such a shock for his family when they found out what had happened,” he said.
“I have a child about the same age and it is terrifying to think what an adventurous youngster can get up to.”
Max’s relieved mother Amy said: “Max is a very adventurous boy but is a complete surprise that he would do something like this.
“It is terrifying to think what might have happened because he must have crossed several roads.
“Anyone could have found him but I am very grateful that Mr. Brown did what he did and brought him home safely to us.
“When the police arrived it was an awful shock. They said they had found my son.
“I’m still shaking from shock after all this.”
As incredibly scary as this is, you can tell that this little boy is one smart cookie! His poor parents!
Entry Filed under: babyrazzi
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1. Jellybean | August 7th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Being a mum myself i always get this feeling when something is wrong, if you know what i mean?
i can’t believe the mum didn’t hear him i have a i child and he is 23 months and he is very loud!
2. Jill | August 7th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
This is a bs story.
3. name not important | August 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Jill not to make an argument but do have anything to support that it is a bs story. If not then why bother saying it just because you dont think it can happen? Sure it is a pretty farfetched story but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It all depends on the circumstances, they dont have an alarm so you can’t hear him leave and maybe he is light on his feet so you dont hear him walk around.
4. N | August 7th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
To go along with #4….. The parents could have been drinking the night before and were sleeping hard.
5. nikki | August 7th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
All I have to say is these are the worst parents I have ever seen…Heck why don’t they have a high latch on there door to keep there little kids from opening the door..I think they need some serios parenting classes. How could they not hear the front door open? BS STORY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. Eli | August 7th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
If the story is true, that is one determined little man!
7. accalia | August 7th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
If its true, how awful!
8. Jordyn | August 7th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
My brother did this as a toddler. My dad was watching him (kind of) while washing the car, and he said he was going to visit grandma (who lived 3 states away). My dad said have fun…off he went. 2 men brought him back from the highway, one carrying his trike, the other my brother! They had found him on the on ramp 1/2 mile away. My brother pointed his way back to the house! True story!! He’s still a pain in the a**. :-)
9. Angela | August 7th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
No, its not a bs story because it really can happen. When my husband was a little boy in diapers, he got a chair and unlocked the door to his grandmother’s house. He snuck out and walked to the store down the street it was about a mile also and proceeded to get himself a lollipop from the store. His grandmother finally realized he was gone when his mother came home and asked where the baby was. They drove all over looking for him and someone told them that they saw a baby at the gas station down the road with dirty feet and in just a diaper. He also crossed traffic to get to the store. I can tell you this, I’m getting safety locks and all when I have a baby! Seeing as it could prob take after it’s father lol.
10. boo | August 7th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
This boys parents aren’t “The worst Parents” because they slept through their child walking out the door and at 3 am and because they don’t have a” high latch on their door”. They were sleeping! Some people are deep sleepers and No Parent would think for even a second that their child ( Especially a 3 yr old) would know how to unlock a door, or be willing to unlock a door at 3 am and walk in the pitch dark down the street by himself! And how do we know there weren’t 10 locks all the way up the door that the child stood on a chair or something to unlock?
Yes there could have been a much worse outcome with this, but there wasn’t, the little guy is fine and home safely… I’m sure Now that this has happened the parents are going to take every precaution possible to prevent this from ever happening again!! including changing the locks ( putting them higher up if need be) and possibly investing in a baby monitor or alarm system for the house.
11. pam | August 7th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I agree boo. The comment about them being the worst parents ever is absolutely ridiculous. If that’s the worst parents you’ve ever seen you must of lived an incredibly sheltered life. Yeah that’s right, physically abusing parents are much better then these ones
12. allie | August 7th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
what 3 year old would think to take a house key with im befoe he leaves????? and how did he get the key???? i don’t no this story sounds strange
13. boo | August 7th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Monkey see Monkey do perhaps?? Maybe he’s sees Mommy and Daddy grab the keys of the holder before they leave the house and he just thought its what you are supposed to do ???
14. sharon | August 8th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
LOL Boo you are SOOOOOOOOOOOO my sister. I was going to say the exact same thing and then I got to your comment. You never know what a child in your care is capable of ladies so be careful what you say about other peoples parenting…you never know when you yourself may be put into this exact same position. jmo
15. Mother of Max | August 8th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I thought I should put the true fact forward since so many people are quick to judge, we are not bad parents, we have an older autistic son so are very safety consious. The door was double locked and Max had got up in middle of night and got key and let himself out – I would also like to add no, we had not been drinking, I had been on a late shift in hospital and very tired, my partner was looking after our older child till 1am in morning – so sorry if we grabbed some sleep. We would never have expected our, just gone 3yr old child to do this, never mind at 3am in the morning. Please don’t judge when all facts are not correct – we have given no quotes or comments to any papers or websites although are being quoted. Lesson learned keys will be in bed with me from now on.
16. lucia | August 8th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
They need an alarm. And this child, is very intrepid…
Sure he doesn’t sleep well, because i’ve got a 3 years old daughter, and she sleeps all night. Sometimes she wake up, but it’s strange that this happens.
He was craving a chocolate egg, too much.
Of course a lot of parents are worst than them, but they don’t told his son what is right! This baby is a victim!´
Unfortunallety nobody can say, this is impossible that happens to me, but I locked my door and I hear my daughter, and I’m sleeping!But all the parents learn this way, because we have to protect our kids. And if this parents have truly a deep sleepers you have to be prepareted.
Anybody can enter to their house and take away whatever they want… “they are deep sleepers…”Comme on!!
—sorry 4 my english!!
Lu
17. leanne | August 8th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I know this little boy have all his life i know both parents & they both love there sons to bits i think all you sad people that are siting in your home passing bad judgement on them should get a bloody life. kids will be kids as the saying goes’ things happen in life that are out of our control i know for a fact that the door was locked but max is a very clever little boy i’m just one person that is truly thanful to mr brown but i know that his parents are too so like i say to all of you that want to stand & point the finger of blame get down of your high horse coz there is none
18. lucia | August 8th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
and what are you doing?
have you got kids?
I teach my daughter what can do and what cannot do.
Like, don’t touch this! Give me your hand to cross the street!
So, for me, this story is really crazy! How happens?
19. boo | August 8th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
We ALL teach our children what is right and wrong, and that they should do this or shouldn’t do that!!!!! But the Kid is 3 for crying out loud…. far too young to really grasp the concept that what he did was dangerous and some thing much worse could have happened… he is at an age where he has no knowledge of What good and bad are, he is unaware of many things… My son who turns 3 next month to this day still runs towards the road even after COUNTLESS times over the past 2 years of telling him that he could get hit by a car, or a stranger could try and take him! But He doesn’t understand the dangers, all peope are good, and life is a breeze to him, he doesn’t care! Which leaves me to keep an extra close eye on him and grab hold of his hand the second we step out our front door!
The parents ARE NOT at fault for this and for the record MANY PEOPLE are DEEP SLEEPERS! And a 3 year old walking quietly down the hall and out the front door I’m sure would be rather quiet … how loud could his little footsteps be? not very I’m sure!!!!
20. lets not judge | August 9th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
I believe this piece of story is not here for us to judge but for us (especially Parents) to be made aware of the fact that wierd, call it far fetched things can happen, and I also believe to any one. No one knows what was trully going on in this little brave boys head, but thank God the angels walked with him.
21. Nicki | August 11th, 2008 at 9:04 am
Of course this could happen. I’m glad the lil boy is safely home. So much could have happened to him, he is a lucky kid.
When I was 15 months old I pushed a chair up against the door, unlocked it and went out very early in the dark to play in the puddles. I had on my rainboots, rainhat, diaper and pj top. I was very lucky I was right in front of our apartment and the man who stopped to help me saw our open front door. My parents almost had heart attacks when he knocked and there I was in his arms all wet. They didn’t hear me leave and they didn’t drink either. Just two exhausted parents sleeping soundly.
I hope his parents will keep a chocolate egg or two in the house for lil Max. Glad he is safe and sound.
22. N | August 12th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
#15…Remember not to let your 3yr old see you put the keys in bed with you. Since you guys are so sleep deprived he might just take the keys out of the bed while your sleeping hard.
23. Lister2 | August 23rd, 2008 at 11:23 am
#22 why not get a life of your own and keep your sarcastic comments to yourself !!!!
people with these negative comments should be ashamed after reading the mothers post, do you not think she has suffered enough having a child with a disability without this happening to her other son and having to read such ignorant narrow minded comments