A 14-year-old boy lived undetected at a 24-hour Walmart in North Texas for more than two days after running away from his aunt's home, authorities say.
Store employees in Corsicana, about 50 miles south of Dallas, discovered the teen and a hiding spot he had carved out behind boxes in the store's baby section.
"It was clear he was in that hiding place for a while," Walmart spokesman Brian Nick said.
The boy ran away July 28 while staying with his aunt while his parents were out of town, Corsicana police said in a statement Wednesday.
He was found two days later at the store. An employee called police, who soon caught up with him outside.
Walmart still hasn't determined what the boy may have done or used while staying inside the store, Nick said. They also can't confirm how long he was inside.
The boy had a number of belongings in the area where he appeared to have been staying, Nick added, which is how his hiding place was discovered.
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"I’m really – I’m surprised somebody hasn’t already been doing that because they have everything – you can exist in Walmart," said shopper Lou Walter.
Officials said it's not the first time the teen, from nearby Rice, has run away, though he has a history of hiding in abandoned homes and buildings and not in heavily trafficked retail stores.
Walmart is not pressing charges, and Child Protective Services has not been called.
The case is now being handled by the Navarro County Juvenile Probation Office.
