GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) – A new video shows the terrifying moments a three-year-old boy was seen wandering around the five-lane Stantonsburg Road in Greenville Tuesday after running away from his nearby daycare.

“Just totally shocked and just caught off guard so unexpected,” said the three-year-old’s mom, Meeca Primus.

Marley Burgess’s mother, Meeca Primus, says she didn’t get a call from KinderCare— the daycare in charge of watching her son—until about an hour after it had happened. She says that her son had been on the playground when he managed to get out and into the roadway, where a bystander thankfully stepped in to save him.

“I thought he was in the best of care, and it’s just disheartening that it wasn’t exactly what I expected,” said Primus.

This isn’t the first time the daycare has been under fire. In an August 2023 unannounced visit – the department of Health and Human Services reported that not all children were adequately supervised at all times – and that the playground is where four staff members were seen talking with each other – rather than providing care to children.

KinderCare gave a statement today about Tuesday’s situation, saying it should never have happened and that “although we have several safety protocols in place to prevent these types of issues, those policies were not followed. As a result, the teachers involved have been removed from the center and placed on administrative leave while we, and our agency partners, look into this matter…”

KinderCare also says they are retraining all teachers and staff on proper child supervision measures.

Primus met with KinderCare Wednesday about what happened to her son and hopes that lessons will be learned from this situation.

“For the childcare providers, keep an eye on these kids, they do their own things unfortunately, and for the parents, definitely vet these centers. For the people that are driving on this road, definitely start to pay attention,” said Primus.