A Winnipeg taxi driver says he was shocked at 4 a.m. Thursday when he came across an unexpected passenger: a toddler, wearing only a diaper.
Muhammad Azam said he was coming to the end of his daily 4 p.m. to 4 a.m. shift when he spotted a little boy wandering outside in Winnipeg’s East Kildonan neighbourhood.
At first, Azam said he couldn’t believe his eyes.
"I thought, is it a human being? Is it a ghost?" he told CTV Winnipeg. "He was wearing a diaper and I was shocked."
Azam realized the three-year-old was alone, so he approached the boy. The taxi driver, who has four children of his own, said the child seemed confused and cold.
"He was literally shivering and shaking. His body was extremely cold," Azam said.
Azam gave his jacket to the toddler, placed the boy in his taxi, and turned the heat on.
Then, the taxi driver called the police, who soon arrived to help the boy find his home. After a 25-minute search, they found the child’s house half a block from where Azam had found him.
"It speaks a lot to the spirit of a lot of people. They see somebody in distress and they are willing to help, especially with a child," Const. Chris Wingfield said.
Officers said they checked the home and feel sure it is a safe and stable place for the child to continue living.
With files from CTV Winnipeg's Cheryl Holmes
