Edmond kindergartner who lived with mother's dead body back in school

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) _ After he missed three days of school, kindergartner Tremaine Douglas' teachers started looking for him. When they found him, he was happily watching cartoons, unaware his mother

Tuesday, May 25th 2004, 9:13 am

By: News On 6

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) _ After he missed three days of school, kindergartner Tremaine Douglas' teachers started looking for him. When they found him, he was happily watching cartoons, unaware his mother was dead in the same apartment.

Teachers Renee Specht and Sandra Owens went looking for Tremaine on their lunch break Thursday. When they found him, the autistic 6-year-old was in his underwear in the messy apartment, watching television and believing his mother was sleeping in the bedroom.

``He was very happy to see us,'' Specht said. ``He said, 'Hello, Miss Specht. Hello, Miss Owens.'''

When Specht and Owens asked him where his mother was, Tremaine ran into the back room then came out and said she was sleeping, Specht said. The teachers went to the apartment complex manager, who entered the bedroom to find 35-year-old Margaret Denise Douglas dead.

Officials believe the boy had been living alone with her dead body for three days. He had been feeding himself cereal and Pop Tarts.

Douglas' doctor said she had a history of heart problems, police said.

Specht described Tremaine as a ``sweet, loving boy'' and said his mother ``treasured'' him.

Specht said it was evident Tremaine and his mother were close. Their apartment walls were decorated with pictures of Tremaine and school projects, she said.

``They were very close,'' Specht said. ``When kids make cards for their parents for Christmas or Mother's Day, you usually don't get much of a response. When he gave her a Mother's Day card, she said it was the best gift she'd ever got because he wrote it for her.''

Tremaine is now living with his mother's cousin in the Oklahoma City area, said Glynda Chu, Edmond police spokeswoman.

He was back at school Friday and again Monday, and seemed to be doing well considering the circumstances, Specht said.

``He's happy to be back with his friends,'' she said.