In Pavlodar region, police found a 9-year-old boy who walked about 7 km alone and ended up on a highway near Lake Zhasibai. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The incident occurred in Bayanaul district. Around 05:00, during patrol, traffic police officers Kanat Yerkebolat and Nurbek Kaikenov noticed a child walking alone on a serpentine road without adult supervision.
The officers stopped and asked the boy his name and where he was going. However, the child could not explain where he was or where he was heading. They then put him in the patrol car and drove towards the police station, hoping he would show them his home or his parents' resting place along the way.
It turned out that in summer the boy lives with his parents on Lake Zhasibai. Around 04:00, his father left for work. After waking up, the child decided to follow him while his mother was asleep.
"Unaware of the danger, the child managed to walk about seven kilometers and ended up alone on the highway. As soon as we found him, we immediately started looking for his parents. Fortunately, everything ended well. The child is alive and healthy, his life is not in danger," explained Rabiga Zhunusova, inspector for juvenile affairs of Pavlodar Police Department.
The boy was handed over to his mother. A preventive conversation was held with her and the child about preventing such unauthorized departures. The boy's mother thanked the police.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that child safety raids were conducted in nine regions of Kazakhstan, involving about 3,000 police officers. Over three days, more than 2,400 minors were brought to police stations, including over 1,500 for administrative offenses, and about 1,000 teenagers were identified as neglected and homeless. Nearly 1,800 parents were held administratively liable, including 257 for improper fulfillment of child-rearing duties.