5-year-old slips out of his home and walks to Chick-fil-A for breakfast

A 5-year-old boy in Jacksonville, Florida, walked to a nearby Chick-fil-A by himself for breakfast while his parents were asleep.
JSO found the boy safely enjoying a meal next to the restaurant manager and attention from the Chick-fil-A staff.
Authorities did not charge the parents but used the incident to remind others to teach children their contact information.

Earlier this summer, a 5-year-old boy named William woke up craving Chick-fil-A. Determined to satisfy his craving, he slipped through the front gate of his family’s home and walked to a nearby Chick-fil-A, where the staff warmly welcomed him and gave him a breakfast sandwich, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO).

JSO shared on X that “Officers Kelly and Perri found little William happily enjoying breakfast and lots of attention from the staff,” alongside footage of the June 24 incident, posted on Monday, Sept. 1.

Police said William got out on his own while his parents were still asleep, making his way to the Chick-fil-A on Oak Bluff Lane in Jacksonville, Florida.

In a video shared by JSO, Officer Perri reflected on the situation: “I have children, and you know, the first thing, you know, you get that knot in your stomach because somebody else who’s a parent is missing their child.”

‘Are you going to get me in jail?’ 5-year-old asks police

As the officers escorted William to their patrol car, he asked nervously, “Are you going to get me to jail?” Officer Kelly chuckled and reassured him that he wouldn’t be in trouble. The officers then drove through the neighborhood until William recognized and pointed out his home.

Upon arriving, they knocked on the door and informed William’s parents, who were shocked to discover their son had slipped out of what they described as “the most secure house on that block,” which is surrounded by a full perimeter fence.

What did the 5-year-old’s parents say about their child’s adventure to Chick-fil-A?

At a follow-up reunion with Chick-fil-A staff and officers, William’s mother, Victoria, shared her surprise at how quickly the incident had unfolded. “It’s kind of scary, actually, because we didn’t realize what was going on until after,” she said.

Both Victoria and her husband, Phil, expressed disbelief that their son had made the trip alone. “I know he knows how to get to Chick-fil-A because we walk there,” Victoria said. “I would’ve never expected him to come down here on his own in the morning before anybody else in the house was up.”

Phil was relieved that William was safe. “I was worried about him, because, was he scared, was he crying, was he upset? He was quiet, which was unusual for him,” he said. “I think he understood that it was serious, but we did talk about it.”

Did the 5-year-olds’ parents who snuck out to Chick-fil-A alone get in trouble?

The JSO also shared via X that William’s parents were not in any trouble. “They had several safety measures in place. But this is a good reminder to teach kids their home address, parents’ names, and a phone number. It could make a big difference in an emergency.”