A toddler found cold and upset in Tokoroa last night had been staying overnight at a relative's home and wandered away while the relatives were asleep.

It was similar to a case the previous night when a four-year-old was found wearing a nappy and wandering the streets of  Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore about 4am.

Tokoroa police were alerted to the wandering two-year-old by a member of the public who noticed the boy about 9.30pm and again in the same area about 11pm. The toddler was wearing grey shorts and a red singlet.

CYF looked after the boy overnight as police made inquiries throughout the area to try to find his caregivers.

By 8.30am police had found the boy's family, who picked the lad up.

"Having spoken to the family of the little boy he had been staying overnight at a relative's home and has wandered from the property while the relatives were asleep," police spokesperson Kim Perks said.

In the Takapuna incident, the boy's family had arrived in New Zealand around 2am from Samoa and spent the rest of the night at a North Shore address. The boy was put into bed but wandered off unnoticed.

A sleep-in after the family's late night arrival was given as the reason it took so long for the family to notify police, while the boy's lack of English made finding his family difficult.

Yesterday a four-year-old boy was found wearing a nappy and wandering the streets of  Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore at 4am.

Shortly after 8.30am yesterday police were contacted by an aunt who had been caring for the boy.

The family had arrived in New Zealand around 2am from Samoa and had gone to spend the remainder of the night at a North Shore address. The boy was put down to bed but wandered off unnoticed.

A sleep-in after the family's late night arrival was given as the reason it took so long for the family to notify police. The boy knew no English which made locating his family difficult.

 

- © Fairfax NZ News