The parents of a toddler who walked out the front door of his nursery and was nearly hit by a bus have slammed the negligent council facility. Three-year-old River left Kingsford Nursery, in Aberdeen, by the front door on Wednesday morning. His disappearance went unnoticed by staff.
The toddler was found crying in the street by a stranger who contacted the police. River told horrified parents Kayleigh Kilpatrick, 30, and Peter Wood, 43 he was almost hit by a bus on the city's busy Lang Stracht road.
Mum Kayleigh said: "I dropped River off at nursery at 1pm and he was meant to be in until 6pm. My door went at 4.45pm.
"There was a woman standing with him and she said "have you lost your child?".
"She told me she found him on the street, and I immediately got upset and started to panic. I told her he was supposed to be at the nursery.
"He was crying and in such a state. He is quite shy with people he doesn't know so he couldn't even explain what had happened."
Kayleigh went to the nursery to confront staff about her son's escape, but workers were unaware he was missing.
The shaken mum has now pulled her son out of the nursery and told the Record she feared what might have happened if a kind stranger hadn't brought him home.
"I went up to the nursery and they had no idea he was even missing. They never contacted anyone on my emergency list. River told me he nearly got hit by a bus and two members of the public have now messaged me to say that did happen."
"I am so angry with the nursery.
"This could have been much worse. He could have been abducted or hit by the bus.
"I've barely slept since it happened and the more information I find out the worse it gets. I feel like I am in a nightmare. The nursery didn't even have an alarm on the door so I just hope this doesn't happen to another child."
Kayleigh says her faith in childcare has been shattered following the incident.
Fuming dad Peter also told the Record: "I work for Street Soccer Scotland so to hear there has been so much negligence and a lack of security is absolutely disgusting.
"If I was a parent with a child there, I would be phoning up the nursery and asking what security measures they have in place. There wasn't even a door alarm.
"What could have actually happened to River is unthinkable. I'm grateful for so much human kindness from the woman who took him home."
River's parents, who are separated, have now reported the incident to the Care Inspectorate.
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “Education officials have spoken and met with the parents and we will continue to maintain contact.
"We are in the process of fully investigating the incident so we have a clear set of actions to progress.
"We are checking the doors at the nursery today and will make any adjustments as necessary.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “At around 4.40pm on Wednesday, 3 August, 2022 we were informed that a three-year-old boy had been found by a member of the public in Lewis Road, Aberdeen.
"Enquiry was carried out and the boy was safely returned to his parents.”
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: "We have been notified of an incident at Kingsford School Nursery, Aberdeen.
"A concern has also been raised with us about this incident.
"We are considering all information given to us carefully.
"If we uphold a complaint we will publish the outcome on our website.
"We will continue to liaise with the provider to ensure the health and well-being of children is paramount and will take any further appropriate action as required.
"Everyone in Scotland has the right to good quality, safe care which meets their needs and respects their rights.
"Anyone with a concern can contact us on 0345 600 9527."
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