10-Year-Old Credited With Helping Wandering Children; 4-Year-Old Reportedly Found With Beer

Veiga went to get help from an elderly neighbor, who told necn that other adults detected that there was beer in the girl's sippy cup

A 10-year-old Massachusetts girl is being credited with helping two wandering children out of the middle of a Brockton road, and the children were reportedly found with beer in a sippy cup.

Navaya Veiga was playing outside her home on Nye Avenue Monday evening when she noticed a 4-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy and a car coming at them. She went to them and asked where their parents were, and said the girl was stumbling.

"I saw two little kids on the street and one fell," Viega said. "She kept falling down and there were scrapes on her nose and mouth."

Veiga went to get help from an elderly neighbor and detected that there was beer in the girl's sippy cup.

"I thought it was apple juice but it wasn't. It was alcohol," Viega said.

The police report says the girl smelled of alcohol and had minor scrapes and scratches on her, but didn't mention alcohol in the sippy cup. The two were transported to Brockton Hospital, but expected to be OK.

Police said the mother of the children did not call to report them missing until two hours later. They are crediting Viega with finding them before anything happened.

"I didn't want to be a person that likes to be rude. I like to help people," Viega said.

Police said DCF is investigating, but as of Wednesday afternoon, no charges had been filed against the mother.

Viega said first responders told her she may get a certificate in the future for her efforts.

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