MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — A little boy was alone wandering a crime-riddled Miami street Wednesday night, but he was found by someone most people walk right past.
Arnett Johnson says he has been sleeping on a bench for about six months after serving time in prison. He told WPLG reporters that he was on Seventh Avenue and Seventeenth Street when he noticed something unusual.
This was a Good Samaritan that was sleeping in the streets and called us and gave us that information,” City of Miami Police Officer Mike Vega told WPLG, praising him. “You know, kudos to him, as we don’t know what could have happened to this child if he would have remained out in the street.”
Investigators say the child told them that his mom had dropped him off and left him. Police later identified her as Annie Rivera, who was subsequently arrested for child neglect.
Authorities report that the boy was missing for over 12 hours, but Rivera alleged she had no idea he was gone.
Johnson said that despite his circumstances, he did what he felt was right.
“Anybody would have done the same thing I did,” said Johnson.