SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio — An Ohio police department is praising a couple for their act of kindness toward a young group home resident who wandered into their house Thursday.
A woman contacted South Euclid police around 6:18 p.m. reporting that an intruder had entered her Parkside Boulevard home, authorities say.
The woman alerted her husband that an unknown man had entered their home. The couple quickly discovered that the intruder was non-verbal and notified police.
Meantime, while responding to the home intrusion call, police say they received a second call reporting that a juvenile had walked away from a group home in the area. Staff members were reportedly searching for him. Police were informed that the missing teen might be combative.
When police arrived to the Parkside Boulevard home they found the homeowners sitting on the porch with the boy and learned that he had quickly developed a relationship with the couple.
"As I pulled up, the individual that resides at the group home walked toward the police car, you could tell this was a situation where he probably ran away before," Officer Joe De Lillo said.
The homeowner wanted him to be comfortable and asked if he could accompany the boy on his drive home. The two rode together in the back of the cruiser before the teen was reunited with staff at the group home.
"It was truly a special moment," De Lillo said.
The teen and the homeowner shared a hug and a handshake before parting ways.
