CRAIG CO., Va. – A heart-stopping moment unfolded when a small child slipped away unnoticed, wandering into a busy street alone. This is exactly what happened to one Craig County family after their toddler opened an unlocked gate at his daycare and walked straight onto the road.
Route 311 is not a place where drivers expect to see a toddler. Yet, there he was—alone in the middle of it all.
Senior Trooper Charles Viera-Cintron of the Virginia State Police (VSP) recounted the moment he saw the child. “By the time I get out of my car, the kid was in the middle of the road close to the yellow line, and I just grabbed the kid,” he said.
The toddler, Briar Letchford, had wandered out of a gated playground area on Friday morning.
When asked about the distance Briar traveled, a VSP representative explained, “Yeah, if you look, he was behind that building so he crossed to Brooks Street getting to the construction area, to get into that area back there.”
Although the daycare informed Briar’s family in a letter that he was missing for only three minutes, state police records indicate he was actually gone for 11 minutes.
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Briar’s mother, Angel Letchford, explained how her son managed to slip away unnoticed. “His teacher had to use the bathroom, so another teacher came to relieve her so that she could,” Letchford said. “The newer teacher forgot to put the lock back on the gate, he got out and wandered off.”
Trooper Viera-Cintron’s quick response ensured Briar’s safety. “At that point, you don’t think you’re an officer of the law. Your main concern is to protect and serve and at that point my main concern. Protect that kid from whatever could happen,” he said.
The Letchford family is hopeful that action will be taken regarding the incident. Jamie Greenway, Angel’s mother and Briar’s grandmother, expressed her gratitude, saying, “Had that trooper not been there, it could have been a very different ending to the story.”
Attempts to reach the Craig County Child Care Center for comment were unsuccessful, as they have not provided any statement regarding the incident.,
