COLUMBUS (WCMH) – A 12-year-old boy was found inside a Target store in Ohio on Monday morning after he had been reported missing Sunday.
According to Columbus police (CPD), the boy was found at around 6:15 a.m. in a Target in the East Broad area of Columbus, Ohio, just north of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
CPD reported that an employee found the boy, who was unaccompanied in the store and believed to have been there since the previous night.
Franklin County Children’s Services told WCMH that police said the child, who was initially reported to be younger than 12, was a runaway.
Columbus police said the boy’s parents had reported him missing Sunday. They were notified of his whereabouts and picked him up Monday afternoon.
The boy had been taken to Children’s Services while his family was located. There were no reports on whether the boy was injured, and no charges will be filed, according to CPD.
The store was open and operating as normal throughout the day, and a representative for Target said the situation was resolved quickly and safely.
“The well-being of our guests is our top priority,” a Target spokesperson said in a statement. “Our team in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, immediately contacted law enforcement upon finding this child and cared for him until authorities arrived.”