Nine-year-old rescued after falling sleep and being locked inside Cape Town library

A nine-year-old boy found himself trapped inside Cape Town’s Central Library after falling asleep while waiting for his father to finish work at a nearby barbershop. The youngster had entered the library to pass the time, but eventually drifted off to sleep amidst the quiet atmosphere. Unfortunately, library staff closed the facility at 4pm without realizing the boy was still inside.

When he awoke around 6:45pm, he discovered the library deserted and dark, prompting him to scream for help and bang on a nearby window in vain attempts to gain attention. A public safety officer on duty heard the commotion and alerted the CCID’s 24-hour control room. The safety team sent an officer to investigate, who in turn contacted a library employee who reopened the building.

The officer then reunited the boy with his father, who had been waiting anxiously for his son outside the barbershop. The CCID revealed that the father had instructed his son not to venture to the library after school, as it closed at 4pm. Instead, the boy was supposed to meet his father at work and wait until his shift ended. It appears the boy was captivated by the library's books and serene environment, choosing to spend his evening there instead of heading to his father's workplace as originally planned.