Two preschoolers, aged four and five, escaped from Isabel Henderson Kindergarten in Fitzroy North, Melbourne, on Monday morning and walked more than a kilometer to one of their homes. CCTV footage captured the children skipping along St George's Road, a busy thoroughfare with multiple vehicles, including a tram and a truck, passing by.
An elderly pedestrian noticed the unsupervised children and alerted other bystanders, who contacted police and followed the pair to ensure their safety. The children were found at a residence watching the Netflix animation "KPop Demon Hunters." It is understood the pair escaped from the kindergarten playground by removing fencing.
The Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority is investigating the incident. "VECRA won't hesitate to take strong action to protect the safety, rights and best interests of children," a spokesperson stated. "Parents have every right to expect that their children are actively supervised at all times while in education and care services."
The kindergarten has launched an internal investigation and has since replaced the removed fencing. Kindergarten director Anna Tibb told The Age, "This is really devastating for the families involved and for us. We are a very transparent and open organisation, and we take these things very seriously."