Feb 18, 2009 8:09 am US/Eastern
3-Year-Old Goes On 4-Mile NYC Subway Joyride
Christian Marquez Let Go Of Mother's Hand In McDonalds And Somehow Made His Way To Train, Traveled 4 Stops
Transit Worker Spots Little Rascal, Makes The Save
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Christian Marquez gave his parents the scare of their lives on Feb. 17 after he broke free from his mother outside a restuarant and ended up on a NYC subway alone for four miles.
CBS
We've heard of the terrible 2s. How about the thrilling 3s?
A 3-year-old Queens boy had quite an adventure on the subway on Tuesday, sneaking away from his mother and riding the train alone.
CBS 2 HD later found out how the little boy remarkably made it home without a scratch.
Christian Marquez may be pint-sized, but he caused a big scare Tuesday afternoon. His mother, Marlene Torres, said she let go of the 3-year-old's hand as she was throwing away garbage at a Flushing, Queens McDonalds.
When she went to grab his hand again … her son was gone.
"In one second that my son is not here. In one second!" said Joselino Marquez, Christian's father. "I don't know, they look and look and look my wife said … told his name...Christian … Christian! No. No over here."
Marquez said his wife called him at work to tell him their son vanished and police had started a search. They were stunned when he was found nearly an hour later, some four miles away.
The NYPD believes Christian took off on his own, bolted out of the McDonalds and down a crowded street and to the 7 train station about a block away.
He walked down into the subway, got past the turnstiles, made his way to the platform and then jumped on a westbound 7 train.
He traveled four stops before police said a transit worker discovered Christian riding alone and called 911.
Mother and son were reunited at the Jackson Heights 7 train station. Torres said she is very happy.
"Very, very lucky," Torres said. "Me happy right now."
Christian doesn't talk much yet, so he couldn't tell his parents about his adventure. His mother said she'll be keeping a tighter hold on him now. And the family is grateful for everyone who helped bring him home safe.
"Thank you for everything, for helping my wife," Marquez said.
Christian was on the train alone for about 10 minutes. He wasn't hurt at all, but his parents said he was in tears when he was reunited with his mom.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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