Police under fire over response to SA boy's disappearance

FIRST ON 7: Police are under fire over their response to the disappearance of a four-year-old boy who wandered from his home in Adelaide’s northern suburbs.

Jessica Johnson said she turned her back on her son James for just a few moments this morning and he wandered away from their Salisbury home.

Ms Johnson said she frantically called police.

“They said they were gunna send a car to come and talk to me,” she told 7News.

Not long after, passers-by Brenton and Amanda Coad rescued the boy from busy Commercial Rd.

They said they phoned police twice.

“The guy said to me that somebody would be on the way, we’re placed on a queue,” Mr Coad said.

“What he said to me on the phone was ‘the boy’s safe’.”

James had walked 400 metres through backstreets before stepping out onto the busy roadway.

Ms Johnson said police then called her to say a child matching her son’s description had shown up at a local store.

With no car, Ms Johnson raced on foot to find her son.

She and the Coads have questioned the police response.

“Is that not a priority? A child running onto the road without any parent, no one, that’s not a priority?” Ms Coad asked.

Police said a patrol was not immediately available to pick up Ms Johnson and take her to her son.

They are satisfied with the outcome and will visit the family to check up on them.