Munching is Not a Crime

A 5-year-old boy from Florida, who has a fondness for chicken, recently felt the urge to have Chick-fil-A. In a bold move, he decided to sneak out of his house and make his way to the restaurant on his own.

When officers arrived, the young boy, known only as William, curiously asked, “Are you going to take me to prison?” This interaction was shared by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on a recent release.

William, wearing a large red sweater, was reportedly at the restaurant on San Jose Boulevard “early this summer” when the sheriff’s office arrived. He and the restaurant manager had already prepared some breakfast sandwiches by that time.

According to police, William had slipped away from home while his parents were still asleep, managed to get through the fence, and walked the streets alone for his breakfast fix.

His parents, Phil and Victoria, were understandably taken aback when officers knocked on their door with their son in tow.

The officers, Kelly and Perry, expressed surprise at finding the five-year-old out and about. They eventually gave William a ride back home, driving around the neighborhood until he recognized his place.

Victoria later shared her feelings, saying, “It’s a bit scary because we didn’t realize what was happening until then.” She mentioned that they often walk to Chick-fil-A and that it was surprising he had ventured out so early before anyone else was awake.

During a reunion with the restaurant staff and the officers, William expressed his thanks to Officers Kelly and Perry by giving them cookies, acknowledging them as his heroes who didn’t arrest him during his little escapade.

Phil, William’s father, humorously referred to his son as quite the adventurer. He admitted he was worried during the incident, noting that William was scared and even cried at one point. “I think it has shaken him a bit, so I don’t want to make it seem like he should do it again,” he said. “He understood it was serious, but we talked about it.”