TAMPA, Fla. — A 3-year-old boy embarked on a solo adventure to McDonald’s, as reported by TODAY.com.
In a viral TikTok video, Marissa Phiffer, the mother of twins Aiden and Aleiya, recounted the nerve-wracking experience she had. What was intended to be a brief family nap turned into a frightening incident for the mother.
Phiffer mentioned to TODAY that upon waking up next to her twins’ cribs after sleeping on the floor, she discovered Aiden was missing.
“He wasn’t in the house. He wasn’t in the basement. He wasn’t in the front yard or the backyard,” Phiffer shared in her TikTok video.
She immediately dialed 911 to report him missing, becoming increasingly anxious when he wasn’t found in the neighboring yard, which she believed could be a likely place to find him playing with rocks.
When the police arrived, they swiftly showed Phiffer a picture of Aiden, safe and sound at the McDonald’s located just across the street from their Wisconsin residence.
According to the account, a kind-hearted individual had alerted authorities after spotting the child wandering alone.
But the question remained: Why did Aiden venture off to McDonald’s by himself? His answer: “I was hungry.”
Phiffer explained to TODAY about Aiden’s fondness for McDonald’s and how he would wake up from a deep sleep as soon as she drove into the drive-thru.
Following that harrowing incident, Phiffer took steps to enhance the safety of her home by adding child-proof locks and latches to all her doors.
On Phiffer’s TikTok video, other mothers also shared their own stories of similar situations involving their children.
“One time when my son was 3, he took money from my purse, got into his toy car, and drove down the road to a donut shop. It was the scariest moment,” a TikTok user recounted.
Another user shared, “My friend’s little boy knows how to unlock the door. I was babysitting, and he managed to get out in the 2 minutes I went to the bathroom!”
Yet another comment read, “I’d love to send Aiden a McDonald’s gift certificate! I’m so relieved he’s safe. He’s a courageous little boy!”
