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Missing N. Miami Boy Found Safe

NORTH MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – A North Miami boy who was missing for four days was found safe Monday morning miles from his home.

"Oh my God, the detective just called, they said they found him downtown," said they boy's mother Naome Gervais.

Last Thursday, 11-year-old Ishmyel Jean left his house around 7 p.m. after he was disciplined for getting into trouble at school for swearing.  He was supposed to go to his grandmother's house about a block away in the 1100 block of NW 126 Street, but he never arrived.

Jean's family and police spent the weekend handing out fliers alerting neighbors to boy's disappearance and asking if anyone had seen him.

On Monday, police officers checked out area schools to see if any of the students had information which could lead them to Jean.  Late Monday morning police announced that the boy had been found on NW 3rd Avenue in Downtown Miami.  He was found walking in the tent city area of the Occupy Miami protest.  Jean was found with a former neighbor who kept him safe.

"Joy, joy, joy, that's all I can say," said Ishmyel's father Maxmine Jean.  "Thank God, God is good."

"Praise the Lord he's alive," said Ishmyel's grandmother Marie Gervais.

Maxmine Jean said he thinks Ishmyel was downtown because he was trying to get in contact with a family member who lives in the neighborhood where police found him.

"His little cousin, his first cousin, she goes to school downtown," said Jean,  "He was probably looking for her, whatever the situation was, thank God, that's all I can say."

Ishmyel started attending private school in North Miami this year.  His family said it was a big adjustment and they believe he wanted to attended classes at the same school where his younger cousin went.

"He feels there's just too much pressure, it's a private school," said Ishmyel's aunt Frances Gervais.  "He's not used to private school."

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