A mother's worst fear came to life in a video that has since gone viral.
A five-year-old boy was seen urgently ringing a doorbell with a Ring doorbell camera, asking for help to find his mother after being dropped off at the wrong neighborhood.
The shocking video, originally posted by the boy's mother, Kelly Mulholland, on TikTok, has so far amassed an astonishing 4.7 million views, over 300,000 likes, and more than 4,000 comments in just three days.
"My literal worst nightmare happened yesterday," Mulholland revealed in her TikTok video, adding layers to the heart-wrenching story that has gripped social media users and parents alike.
In a series of two TikTok videos, Mulholland detailed how her son and her boyfriend's five-year-old daughter were left in a state of confusion and fear when they were mistakenly dropped off at an incorrect bus stop in Edmond.
According to Mulholland, the grim realization hit her when the school bus, which was already running an hour late, arrived empty at the designated stop at Napa Valley Road and Bristol Park Boulevard.
When she inquired about the whereabouts of the children, the bus driver couldn't provide a concrete answer. However, a helpful tip from another older child led Mulholland to believe that the two young kids had been dropped off at a different stop.
In a twist that can only be described as fortuitous, a neighbor approached Mulholland while she was in her car, asking if she was "looking for two kids."
Confirming her worst fears, the neighbor showed her the Ring doorbell footage of the kids at his home. Though they had moved on by that point, with the help of the neighbor and others, Mulholland eventually found the children a few houses down and a half-mile away from their intended bus stop.
But the details that followed were even more staggering. "They had walked at least a half a mile in 105-degree heat," Mulholland said, emphasizing the desperate situation the children found themselves in.
“I am so incredibly proud of these kids,” she continued, outlining how the smart and resourceful children alternated between ringing doorbells and keeping watch. “They were literally alternating doorbells. One of them would stay on the sidewalk, while the other one would go up and ring the doorbell and they would keep watch.”
In response to this terrifying ordeal, Mulholland and her boyfriend have contacted the Department of Transportation, responsible for running the school buses.
Mulholland has been told that it's standard procedure to not let a child off the bus without a parent present and to always check the tags on their bags.
"I'm not sharing this to scare anybody, but I think this is a cautionary tale," Mulholland concluded in her video, showing off the new Apple AirTags she purchased. "You need to teach your kids what to do if it happens."
This harrowing story serves as a stark reminder for parents everywhere about the necessity of child safety and the need for vigilance.
