Boy Sleeps In Backyard Tent For 3 Years Until Neighbors Notice Visitor At 3AM

A Tent In The Yard

The neighbors couldn’t believe their eyes when they looked through their upstairs bedroom window. They were appalled.

There was a tent in their neighbor’s backyard, and whoever was inside it had them calling the authorities.

They wanted to get their neighbors arrested for what they were doing, and they refused to stop until they were forced to leave the neighborhood for good.

Doug Jennings

It was a quiet afternoon for the residents of Holly Springs in North Carolina. Doug Jennings was a retired police chief of the Holly Springs Police Department.

Since retiring, he’s spent his days bird-watching and serving as the leader of their local neighborhood watch patrol.

He enjoyed it. He was proud that he could still serve his community in some way.

Loved By His Community

Doug and Ruth, his wife, had lived in Holly Springs all their lives. They were high school sweethearts and shared two grown children who now had children of their own.

Their family was respected in the community because of Doug’s position at HSPD.

The day that Doug retired, the entire neighborhood got together to have a barbeque in celebration of Doug’s achievements.

A Direct Link

Holly Springs was a pretty safe area, but Doug wanted his neighbors to know that they could always count on him whenever any emergencies popped up. After all, he did have a direct link to the police.

But Doug had no idea that there was someone who desperately needed his help.

He never expected to uncover something that would cause a stir in his entire neighborhood. His neighbors would be asking questions about just who lived in their beloved community.

The Neighbors

Everyone who lived on Springside Drive knew each other. Whenever Doug spotted someone leaving their home to go to work or just tending their gardens, he would wave at them politely.

But there was one family that usually kept to themselves.

This family lived right next door to Doug, and they had a son, Jamie, who was friendly but reserved and shy.

The New Neighbors

The Hamels were from Raleigh, and they had only been in Holly Springs for a few months. On the day they moved in, Doug and Ruth took a cherry pie that Ruth had baked.

When they knocked, Mrs. Hamel opened the door only slightly. It was clear to Doug that she didn’t want them to see the inside of the house.

Perhaps the house was messy from unpacking. But Dough happened to catch a glimpse of something inside the house, and he instantly knew that he had to keep an eye on his new neighbors.

Jamie

As the couple was heading back to their home, Doug looked up and spotted Jamie staring from an upstairs window. He waved at him with a friendly smile on his face. Jamie responded with a half smile, but his face was sullen.

Doug decided just then and there that he was going to make it his personal mission to look out for Jamie. He asked Ruth to keep sending food over to their house.

Doug could feel in his gut that something was not right with his new neighbors.

An Encounter

One afternoon, while Doug was doing his usual rounds in the neighborhood, he spotted Jamie.

He was walking down the street with shopping bags in his hands.

He was looking down at his feet when he noticed Doug approaching. He didn’t want to talk to him, but Doug wanted to make sure that what he sensed was just a simple mistake.

A Shy Teenager

Jamie refused to make eye contact. After spending forty years in the police force, Doug had seen cases like these many times before.

He was hoping that what he was seeing wasn’t one of those cases and that Jamie was just another shy teenager who wanted to be left alone.

But why did he insist on avoiding Doug?

Upsetting

Once Doug reached him, he offered to help carry the groceries. Jamie appeared to be embarrassed by the offer, but he reluctantly obliged and they walked the short distance to his house.

The bags were heavy, and Doug couldn’t help but take a look inside one of the bags. What he saw upset him.

The bags were filled with cigarettes and alcohol. The only food was a few boxes of microwavable meals.

Not Happy

Doug was getting upset and this prompted him to ask Jamie if he was okay and where he had gotten the alcohol from, after all, he was only 16.

Jamie shrugged and mumbled out an answer about it being something he had collected from his parents’ friend and he didn’t purchase it himself.

Doug believed him for the most part but knew needed to do some more digging.

The Invitation

He decided the only way to really get to know these people was to invite them over for dinner. He could then check their behavior and see how they acted.

“Why don’t you and your parents join us for dinner tonight?” Jamie looked noticeably nervous and stood still as he contemplated what to do.

By now, Doug knew that his instincts were right.

Invite Accepted

“I don’t think my parents will come, they’re always busy. But I’ll come if you’ll have me?” Doug saw a little light in Jamie’s eyes.

“Of course, you’re welcome in our home anytime.” Doug left the alcohol-filled bag on the porch and walked off home.

He wanted Ruth to make an extra special meal just for Jamie.

Dinner For Three

Just as the clock struck six, Jamie was on their porch ringing the doorbell. The Jennings were impressed by the young man’s punctuality.

When they opened the door to receive him, Doug couldn’t believe his eyes.

Jamie was dressed in his Sunday best and looked a far cry from how he looked a few hours ago. What was going on?

A Beautiful Set Up

They ushered him in and his face lit up when he saw how beautifully the dinner table was set up. It was like he saw everything for the first time.

Doug watched closely. He needed to see the signs before he could turn into a detective again.

Jamie seemed incredibly happy to be having dinner with them.

No Time For Talking

Before Doug and Ruth could ask him any questions, he was hungrily wolfing down the roast chicken and potatoes.

That was one of the signs that Doug had noted down, it seems like the kid had not had a decent meal in ages.

He looked at Ruth and she immediately knew what Doug was thinking.

Dessert Time

When it was dessert time, Ruth dished him a hearty bowl of peach cobbler and cream. Jamie couldn’t believe that he was eating all of his favorite foods.

Ruth decided to ask him a few questions. “How often does your mom cook for you, dear?”

With that, Jamie froze up and the Jennings knew they had overstepped the mark.

Time To Go

“I think I need to go, thank you so much for this delicious meal.” Before Ruth could say anything about packing him some leftovers, he was out the door.

Doug felt like he now had enough signs for him to begin to monitor the house and watch over Jamie.

Something was wrong in the Hamel house and he was going to find out what it was.

An Inspection

The next day, Ruth packed the leftover chicken, potatoes, and peach cobbler into containers for Jamie. Doug was going to take it over.

He was going to look inside the house this time, no matter what. He needed to see what was going on inside and what Jamie’s parents were doing.

Their child seemed neglected in some way and Doug had seen some bad cases in his day. He was not going to let another child suffer.

A Decrepit House

He walked on the creaky porch. The house hadn’t even been painted since they moved in. They had left everything to decay, including the front garden.

He knocked three times until Mr. Hamel finally opened the door. He looked worse for wear like he had just woken up from a deep sleep.

“What do you want, old man?” Doug could foresee a lot of trouble coming his way.

Rude Reception

“Mornin’ neighbor, just wanted to give this to Jamie, he left without his leftovers last night.” Doug could see red anger spring into Mr. Hamel’s eyes. He looked like the devil himself.

He took the containers and said Jamie wasn’t home and proceeded to shut the door.

Doug left but made sure to look up at the window. Jamie wasn’t there.

Where Is Jamie?

He must be at school then, Doug thought. He continued to do his rounds around the neighborhood.

When it was 3 pm, he sat on his porch expecting to see Jamie walking home like the rest of the kids.

But he never came and Doug realized that Mr. Hamel must’ve lied to him. Where was Jamie? Was he safe?

Couldn’t Shake The Feeling

Doug discussed his concerns with Ruth that night.

He just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong and that Jamie needed them.

That night he didn’t sleep a wink. He stayed up thinking about whether Jamie was alright and if them inviting him to dinner caused a problem in his household.

Shopping

The next day, Doug was basically a zombie but he promised Ruth he would go to Lowes to get a new outdoor couch for their porch.

He dragged his feet through the aisles trying to find the perfect couch.

As he turned a corner he spotted Jamie. Thankfully he was okay, but Doug noticed he was buying a tent.

Going Camping?

“Going camping, son?” Doug enquired curiously. Jamie looked startled and Doug sheepishly backed away showing him that he meant no harm.

“Yes, my dad and I are going.” But Doug could see that it was a lie.

There was no way a guy like his dad was taking him camping. Doug said goodbye and went on his way.

The Tent

That night Doug lay awake in his bed. He couldn’t stop thinking about the strange encounter he had with Jamie.

He got up and went to the window for some fresh air and that’s when he saw it.

He was looking straight into the Hamels’ backyard, and in the middle was Jamie, rolling out a sleeping bag to put in his newly acquired tent.

How Dare They?

Doug instantly woke Ruth to come and see what he was seeing. They remained quiet. They didn’t want the boy to know they were watching him.

He was wearing a thick jacket. It was freezing outside and Doug was furious that this young boy was made to sleep outside in freezing temperatures in a tent.

There was no way Doug was going to leave this.

Something Had To Be Done

At the crack of dawn, he marched next door. He hammered so hard on the door that other neighbors came running out to see what was going on.

In turn, Jamie also appeared from the side gate to see what the commotion was about.

Jamie was holding Doug back and begging him to leave it, to go back home and not interfere. But Doug couldn’t, he could see the boy was neglected and malnourished. He was living outside. Something had to be done.

The House Of Horrors

He kicked down the door and out wafted a smell so bad, he had to cover his mouth and nose with his arm. The windows were backed out and all the walls were covered in soundproofing.

The Hamels were each passed out on the living room couches. The house looked like a tornado had hit it.

This was clearly not a place for any child and the police and child services were swiftly called in.

Making Progress

The Hamels were taken into custody for child abuse and neglect. They had been skipping various towns so as to not draw attention to their bad habits.

Jamie had been living outside for a few months when they moved in and 3 years previously before Doug uncovered the truth. He just couldn’t bear living with the putrid stench.

He was taken in by Jennings and is steadily making progress. He is attending school and eating all the foods that Mrs. Jennings prepares for them. Doug was once again honored for looking out for his fellow community members and vowed to never stop.

Disclaimer: In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.