Missing Tulsa boy found alive and safe

After being missing overnight, 11-year-old Daryl Steele is home safe and sound Thursday. <br><br>He is doing just fine. This is great news because Tulsa Police were getting pretty worried when Daryl

Thursday, January 9th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

After being missing overnight, 11-year-old Daryl Steele is home safe and sound Thursday.

He is doing just fine. This is great news because Tulsa Police were getting pretty worried when Daryl hadn't shown up Thursday morning. He'd wandered away from home in the past, but never for this long. We had the first crew on the scene when Daryl was found.

News on Six anchor Tami Marler was there. She's says it started off looking like one of those heartbreaking stories. Instead, a happy ending for 11-year-old Daryl Steele. Tulsa Police got a call just before noon, Thursday from Jann Lucas, a mother who opened her door to a tiny little guy who said his name was "DJ". He said he was hungry and a little bit lost. Lucas said several excited officers converged on her house within minutes and confirmed the boy was Daryl Steele, missing since Wednesday evening.

Daryl's father gave us an exclusive interview after he received the news. "At first I just felt like I had ten thousand pounds off my shoulder, but then I just said 'praise God,' you know, because I had a lot of people praying for me. A lot of policemens out, and like I said they really did a great job, the media too."

Tami Marler spoke with the detective in charge of the Steele's case. Chuck Haywood says DJ was turned over to the Department of Human Services, because his father knew he had a habit of wandering away, but still left him for more than an hour.

Daryl Steele will have to go to a hearing to determine what course the DHS will take.