TITUSVILLE, Fla. – The mother of 4-year-old Deshawn Harris said day care workers forgot about her son when the boy didn't come home Tuesday.
Tiffani Hernandez said Deshawn fell asleep in the Shining Stars Learning Center van and the driver didn't see him lying down.
Four other of Hernandez's children were in the van at the same time.
Those kids were all dropped off Tuesday at the Budget Motel where Hernandez lives.
Hernandez said it took her about five minutes after her kids were dropped off to realize Deshawn was missing.
She said the owner of the Budget Motel told her he saw Deshawn in the parking lot from the motel's front-desk security cameras.
That's what Hernandez relayed to police.
It turned out to be false.
"My son was left on the day care van and brought back to the day care," said Hernandez.
When she says Deshawn woke up, all alone, the 4-year-old walked into the day care and then three hours after his siblings were dropped off, Deshawn was driven back to the motel.
"I'm upset that my son was put in that situation and we had to go through three hours not knowing where he was. But I'm just glad that he's OK."
News 6 contacted the day care Wednesday asking them for their side of the story, but workers said they've been instructed by DCF not to talk about it during the continuing investigation.
Titusville Police said charges are pending.