Boy, 4, escapes childcare centre

Security cameras have captured the moment a four-year-old boy escaped from a Melbourne childcare centre and was left to wander unsupervised into a car park.

In the video, obtained exclusively by 7News, Mohammad Al-Lakkiss can be seen running through Oak Park Children's Centre before following a parent straight out the open front door.

The father appears to turn around and notice the boy, but does not stop.

Mohammad then tries to get back inside, but the door locks behind him.

Two more families pass the little runaway, yet they too fail to stop and check if the boy is OK.

The incident lasted a matter of minutes, but the boy's mother, Dana, is furious her son was put in danger.

"All I could think of was him crossing that road, being hit by a car or some sicko picking him up," she said.

Dana said it is remarkable luck that she pulled up outside moments after her son fled.

He headed straight to her car and opened the door.

Had Mohammad strayed a little further, he may have found himself on busy Pascoe Vale Road.

Staff maintain Mohammad had seen his mother arrive from the playground and that prompted him to break out.

The centre has been run for 17 years without incident, management said.

A spokesperson said the incident is a warning to all parents to be aware of other children when they pick and drop off their own kids.

The centre is reviewing security arrangements and the Department of Education is investigating the incident.

The Al-Lakkiss family says Mohammad will be staying home from now on.