Police meet with family of toddler found roaming Auckland street

Police have met with the family of a toddler who was found alone and crying on a street in South Auckland.

The 2-year-old girl was found by a member of the public who recorded the incident on her cell phone before uploading the footage to Facebook yesterday. A spokeswoman for the family, who only wanted to be known as the little girl's grandmother, said the child was now with her as her own daughter - the toddler's mother - was upset and dealing with the situation.

The toddler's grandmother told the Herald they had met and spoken with police today and said it was a "good'' meeting.

She said people had been quick to condemn her daughter as an unfit mother who had neglected her child.

But the fact was that she was a good person who loved her children dearly.

She had popped out to pick up an older child from school and had left the toddler with her 25-year-old uncle who was sleeping inside.

At some point after she left, the child has walked outside and onto the road before meeting the stranger who then helped her back to the house.

The grandmother confirmed the male relative was not made aware he was now the only adult in the house.

"I apologise on behalf of my daughter's actions. But she didn't deliberately do it. It was just a mistake ... she didn't mean to do it.

"And now it's gone as far as it goes like she's one bad mother.

"She's got a 7-year-old son. Nothing has happened to him ever since he was born. Now the little girl is nearly 3 years old and this is the first time something like this has happened to her.

"It's just a careless mistake that she's made because she was rushing. But the bottom line is, people are taking it, twisting the story and taking it as far as it goes. They blew it up.''

The grandmother said other family members were now supporting the mother while she looked after her children in the meantime.