Teenager Made Corsicana Walmart His Home
UPDATED AT 12:36 PM
CORSICANA (CBSDFW.COM) - His age 14. His address Walmart.
Employees of a Corsicana Walmart were shocked to find a teenage boy secretly living inside the store for a few days.
The teen wasn't just hiding in the store. He built a secret hidden compound and was able to call the 24-hour store home for 2 1/2 days before being discovered.
CBS 11 News obtained exclusive photos of two campsites at the Walmart in Corsicana. One of them was on the aisle carrying baby products behind boxes of strollers. The other was behind stacks of paper towels and toilet paper.
"You never expect that you're at Walmart and someone has been living there for four days. That's crazy," said Myrna Aguilar, a Walmart customer.
Customers who walked down the aisles where the teen was living never noticed two hidden compounds where the boy was able to store necessities, sleep in a makeshift bed and and eat items taken from inside the store.
He created a crack in the back wall of the drink aisle to grab juice and even collected a fish from the pet department.
The photos show the clothing that employees say the boy would change in and out of every few hours to avoid detection.
Sources said the 14-year-old was so concerned about being caught he wore diapers instead of using the store restroom.
Eventually, a trash trail led to the teen's discovery.
Police were called and released the boy to the custody of relatives.
"I'm wondering what his parents think, and how come he didn't come home, and why aren't they worried about him," said customer Megan Nicholson.
The boy lives with his parents, but was visiting other relatives when he disappeared, according to police.
Sources said the teen tried to run out of the store when he was discovered.
CPS said they are usually called in to investigate cases like this but were not called this time.
There's no indication Walmart plans to file criminal charges at this point.
Update 12:36 p.m. - According to Corsicana Police, on July 28, the boy ran away from his aunt's home, where he was staying while his parents were out of town.
When police contacted the boy's mother, she told them he has a history of running away and has hidden in abandoned houses, businesses and creeks in the past.
Two days later, Walmart employees called police to report a teenager had been living in the store.
Police say "in runaway cases it is not standard procedure to notify Child Protective Serves unless there is an indication the juvenile was a victim of possible abuse or neglect or was living in a dangerous environment," which say did not appear to be an issue in this case, according to authorities.
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