Woman is caught on surveillance footage abandoning toddler, 2, on stranger's doorstep, ringing the doorbell and running away

  • The two-year-old was abandoned at a home in Spring, Texas, on Wednesday 
  • A woman was filmed dragging him by the arm and dumping him with his backpack 
  • She knocked on the door then ran away and drove off before the homeowner answered
  • When the woman whose house it was opened the door, the boy was staring up at her helpless
  • Police are now appealing to anyone with information about the woman's identity to contact them 
  • The boy was identified on Thursday as two-year-old Royal Prince Simmons
  • His father lives next door to the home where he was dropped off
  • It remains unclear if the woman thought she was leaving him at his father's house at the time  

By Jennifer Smith For Dailymail.com

Published: 11:48 EDT, 18 October 2018 | Updated: 18:27 EDT, 18 October 2018

A woman in Texas has been caught on surveillance cameras abandoning a toddler on a stranger's doorstep.

The woman was seen on October 17 at around 8.20pm approaching the home in Spring, Texas. 

She was trailing the two-year-old boy, who has since been identified as Royal Prince Simmons, along in one hand, dragging him along the drive, and had a monkey-shaped backpack in the other.

Royal's father lives next door to the house where he was dropped off, according to ABC. 

Police have not yet confirmed whether the woman, who is yet to be named, thought she was leaving him at his father's home at the time.  

The woman dragged the child along the driveway carrying her phone and his backpack in her other hand
The woman dragged the child along the driveway carrying her phone and his backpack in her other hand

The woman dragged the child along the driveway carrying her phone and his backpack in her other hand 

She then rang the doorbell, knocked on the door and ran back to her car
She then rang the doorbell, knocked on the door and ran back to her car

She then rang the doorbell, knocked on the door and ran back to her car 

The video shows her approaching the door quickly and dumping the boy and his belongings down. 

She then rang the doorbell, knocked on the door and sprinted away, leaving the little boy standing clueless in front of the door. 

She hopped back into the white car she was filmed arriving in and drove away. 

The toddler has been identified as Royal Prince Simmons whose father reportedly lives next door. It remains unknown if the woman, who is yet to be identified, thought she was dropping him off at his father's home at the time or if he has been reunited with his family

The toddler has been identified as Royal Prince Simmons whose father reportedly lives next door. It remains unknown if the woman, who is yet to be identified, thought she was dropping him off at his father's home at the time or if he has been reunited with his family

When the homeowner answered, the little boy was staring blankly at her with his belongings by his side. 

The woman took him inside and called police who then reviewed her surveillance camera footage.

Afterwards, the boy was taken into protective custody but within several hours, tips from the public identified him.  

It is now not clear if he remains in police custody or if he has been reunited with his father. 

Neither the father nor the woman in the video has been named. 

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office did not respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries on Thursday morning. 

The street where the boy was left is full of large family homes worth an average of $275,000. 

There are parks, tennis courts and schools nearby, and many of the houses have large backyards with their own pools.

As the toddler stood helpless, the woman ran away before the homeowner answered

As the toddler stood helpless, the woman ran away before the homeowner answered

The boy looked back at the woman then stood, waiting for someone to answer
The boy looked back at the woman then stood, waiting for someone to answer

The boy looked back at the woman then stood, waiting for someone to answer 

The residential street where the boy was abandoned is full of large family homes with backyard pools and a number of schools nearby. It remains unclear if he lives with his father there 

The residential street where the boy was abandoned is full of large family homes with backyard pools and a number of schools nearby. It remains unclear if he lives with his father there 

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Woman is filmed on surveillance footage abandoning toddler on stranger's doorstep

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