Mother says day care left 5-year-old at Centennial Park alone

ATLANTA — A mother is outraged after she says a summer day camp left her 5-year-old son behind at a park.
 
The Inspiring Kids Academy in Lithonia took a field trip to Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta last Wednesday. Trip organizers left behind 5-year-old Samuel Gladden and did not realize he was missing until his mother, Shalen Gladden, came to pick him up. 
 
"They were calling his name like they would usually do, but after the third time, Samuel didn't pop up," Gladden said. "It broke my heart. I felt like I failed him as a parent."
 
Camp officials called authorities at Centennial Olympic Park and Gladden learned her son had been left there unsupervised for more than an hour.
 
The 5-year-old started crying after he looked around and realized he didn't recognize anyone. The park cameras showed Samuel wandering the park by himself.
 
"I was crying for my mommy and I was crying for my daddy," Samuel said.
 
Channel 2's Eric Philips tracked down a camp official, but they declined to comment.

WSBTV