MIAMI (WSVN) - A South Florida family faced a judge Thursday after their teenage adopted son was seen wandering around a Miami Gardens neighborhood.
The 14-year-old who had South Florida searching for his parents on Wednesday is now safe at home. His adoptive father, Dr. Kevin Williams, said the teen was not telling the truth and actually ran away from home.
- Related: ‘None of it was true’: Adoptive father says boy stranded in Miami Gardens not telling truth
The boy appeared in court Thursday, where a judge decided to send him home with his adoptive father.
The ordeal began on Tuesday when a couple in Miami Gardens found the boy and thought he was abandoned. According to Williams, the child had fabricated a story about how his adoptive father was living on Miami Beach.
Eventually, Miami Beach Police got involved in the search for the teen’s parents.
While the teen was gone, Williams said he reported him missing in Miami Gardens.
Williams told 7News that the plan now is to get the teen the help he needs. “You know, the bigger point of this is that I hope people realize that children suffer from mental health issues as well as adults, and we need to give them the support and help they need so that they can grow up to be productive members of society,” he said.
The child did not say much in court.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.