Homeless trio in Darwin help lost toddler find his family

Stanley Gameraidj, Jaris Ganawa and Patania Marawa helped a toddler wandering the streets of Darwin. Photo / Supplied

Three homeless people in Darwin, Australia have been labelled heroes after they stopped a potentially tragic situation by helping a lost little boy find his way back home.

Stanley Gameraidj, Jaris Ganawa and Patania Marawa were sleeping rough in a Fannie Bay park when they spotted the toddler wandering the street by himself just after 3am.

The three, who told Sky Newsthey were sleeping in Darwin to "get away from the fighting", quickly sprung into action.

Gameraidj said the toddler wasn't upset but the group knew he could land himself into a world of trouble wandering the city so late at night.

"He wasn't upset but he had a little toy, a little octopus," Gameraidj said.

Straight after they found him, the two men started looking for the boy's parents while the woman laid on the ground with him and kept him warm and comfortable.

"He fell asleep, he was really tired," he said.

The group eventually called the police who also started looking for the boy's family.

"We kept him, held him and kept him safe until the police came," Gameraidj said.

Eventually, police managed to find the boy's parents, who had been sleeping inside the family home when their toddler decided to go for a late night wander.

"His parents just hugged me. I told them: 'Brother it's all good, it's all in love, all good,'" Gameraidj said.

"We're homeless people but we're all human beings. We all help each other no matter what.

"White or black, we found that non-indigenous person and we helped him. It's always love," he added.

Darwin has the highest rate of homelessness of any city in Australia with an estimated 2000 to 3000 people living rough at any time.

Gameraidj said the reason he and his friends were sleeping in Darwin rather than in their home community was to escape the fighting.

"Back at our community, we argue among each other and we have trouble in those communities. That's why we come here to the city to get away from fighting," he said.