I'll try to be concise, but it is still v long, sorry.
Yesterday DS, 3 and 10 months, got lost in the first floor of a shop. I thought he was hiding, so I was just calling him, since he wasn't coming out, I ran downstairs to let security know, holding my 2 year old DS. The security man was very cool, and started to look on his screens, to no avail. I told him to keep an eye for any 5 year old trying to get out (he is quite tall), he was right by the door.
SO I went upstairs again, everywhere calling his name. I told the cashiers to get me help, they were quite slow, finishing first with their costumers. I started to panic seriously at that point because I didn't think anymore that he was hiding. Went downstairs again, the cool guy still there, no news. I told him I needed people to help me. Some employees came, and my younger son pointed to the door, so I went outside and didn't see anything, just big parking lot. But someone came and told me that the police had a child somewhere in the parking lot.
So I ran to them and he was crying sitting on the floor. I faced him and spoke to him and he continued crying, as if he didn't recognize me. Then he started crying louder and the police doubted that I was the mother. I ask the employee shop for a taxi, but DS was in biiiig shock and wouldn't even stand up, he was trying to escape just crawling, then he run and the policeman had to go and get him. At that point I was asked for proof that he was my son and I didn't have any ID of his with me apart from his library card. So they checked that, and asked me to stay away because the child was getting more nervous everytime I spoke to him or tried to touch him.
Of course at that point I was crying too. THe police asked for an ambulance because the thought he might have some medical condition (I was starting to think that myself), DS was fully out of control, he seemed no to be aware of anything, just trying to escape.
Curious people started to gather around and I told the policemen that DS was not going to get any better with so many strangers around, so we went to the staff room of the shop and I was asked to stay outside. My young DS was scared for his brother and started sobbing too. So a few policemen were questionning him and some people from the shop too. At some point I heard "mummy!" so I went in and he was hysterical again, I was told to go out.
The manager of the shop came and was very kind to me, put someone to look after me.
An employee came to get some information from me and I snapped and told her that unless everyone went out and let me in we would be like that for the following two hours.
That did the trick, two policemen stayed and I sat in front of him in silence. I showed them his pictures in my mobile phone and they were satisfied. After a while he started to look as if he was aware of things. But didn't want to live the room! I had to persuade him, in case he exploded again.
The policemen drove us home.
He and DS2 had a nice bath and a pizza.
I am a wreck. Afraid to go out again and bewildered.
Any comments please? Any experiences?