A Wisconsin mother recently experienced a terrifying moment when she woke up to find her 3-year-old son missing from his crib. Marissa Phiffer, a mother of twins, was relieved to discover that her son, Aiden, had embarked on a solo adventure to a nearby McDonald’s.
Phiffer shared her experience on TikTok, where she explained that she had fallen asleep next to her children. Upon waking, she found Aiden’s crib empty, his shoes gone, and his twin sister, Aleiya, alone. A frantic search of the house and yard yielded no sign of the missing toddler.
Phiffer, 23, immediately dialed 911, fearing the worst. She was relieved when police arrived promptly, armed with a photo of Aiden. They informed her that her son was safe and sound at a McDonald’s located just a short distance from their home.
A concerned passerby had noticed Aiden wandering towards the fast-food restaurant and alerted the authorities. Phiffer rushed to the McDonald’s, where she found her son happily playing in the restaurant’s play area. Aiden, a self-proclaimed McDonald’s fan, told his mother he had embarked on his journey because he was hungry.
Despite the initial shock and fear, Phiffer was too relieved to be angry at her son. She admitted to being tempted to buy him a Happy Meal but decided against it due to embarrassment. Instead, she quickly whisked him home.
In the aftermath of the incident, Phiffer has installed child-proof safety locks and latches on all doors to prevent any future unsupervised excursions. She also shared that Aiden’s love for McDonald’s is so strong that he would wake from deep sleep if they pulled into the restaurant’s drive-thru.
Phiffer’s TikTok video recounting the incident has since gone viral, amassing over 2.8 million views and more than 500,000 likes since it was posted on July 31. Many viewers expressed relief that Aiden was safe and shared their own experiences with wandering toddlers. Some even praised Aiden’s determination and bravery.