“Right place at the right time,” Salem mailman scoops toddler away from traffic after day care escape

By CHRISTINA HAGER

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    SALEM, Massachusetts (WBZ) — David Moulton has been a mail carrier for eight years. Now he can add life saver to his resume.

“They say God’s mysterious. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time,” Moulton told reporters Tuesday.

Police say a three-year-old had wandered from a day care center in Salem, Massachusetts Friday and spent about a half hour roaming sidewalks along bustling streets before Moulton spotted him and called 911.

“I just scooped him up before he got into the street over there,” he said pointing to busy Congress Street. “He’s got no shoes and no jacket on, it’s like, this isn’t right. I’m wearing four layers of clothing you know,” he said. “He ran past me this way first in the park. At first, I didn’t think anything of it, I thought he was playing with kids or something like that, and then all of a sudden, he zipped by me again, I thought he’s heading to a busy street,” he said. “He was shaking; he was shivering; he was cold.”

Neighbors say the day care, called Salem Community Child Care, is always busy.

“It’s very popular, very popular. A lot of mothers come here with the kids,” said Noel Powell. “That street’s very busy. I’m surprised that nobody saw him earlier.”

Moulton now gets cheers from neighbors when he’s delivering mail. Some could be heard yelling “that’s a hero” Tuesday. “I have children of my own. I can’t just let him head to the street, stand there and do nothing,” said Moulton. “I’m very glad it ended well. Could have been very bad.”

Police say the child went to the hospital to be checked out and was fine. They say they’ve referred the case to the Essex District Attorney, and the Department of Children and Families. The day care is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, which is also investigating.

Salem Community Childcare did not respond to WBZ’s request for comment.

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