A man experiencing homelessness in Miami is being credited with helping save a young child after spotting him alone on the streets late Wednesday night, an encounter police say may have prevented a far worse outcome.
Arnett Johnson, who has been living on a bench in the Allapattah area since being released from prison about six months ago, said he noticed something unusual just before midnight: a small child walking without an adult nearby. Accustomed to the unpredictability of street life, Johnson decided to investigate rather than ignore what he saw.
He first scanned the area to see if any caregiver might be close by, but quickly concluded the boy was on his own. Johnson then contacted law enforcement and stayed with the 6-year-old until officers arrived, ensuring the child remained safe in the meantime.
Officials with the Miami Police Department later praised the intervention. Officer Mike Vega described Johnson as a good Samaritan and noted that the situation could have ended much differently if the child had not been found when he was.
When police took the boy into their care, he reportedly told them, “Mommy drop me off and left me.” Officers also noted the child has a speech delay, which made it difficult to immediately gather identifying details about him or his family.
The following day, a school resource officer recognized the boy from a “need to identify” alert and alerted the Miami Police Department, helping investigators confirm who he was.
With identification established, authorities traced a witness familiar with the child’s mother, 30-year-old Annie Rivera. That witness reported that Rivera and her son had been staying with them but were last seen around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Rivera returned home early Thursday morning, but the child was missing.
Rivera was later arrested and charged with child neglect without bodily harm. The child has since been placed in the care of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Johnson, reflecting on the moment he stepped in, said he felt it was something he was meant to do, and simply acted to keep the child safe until help arrived.