A 10-year-old South Dakota boy opened the drawers in his family's Kansas City hotel room over the weekend and found $10,000 in cash that someone had left behind.

Advertisement Boy who found $10,000 in KC won't get to keep it Tyler Schaefer came across money in hotel drawer Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A boy who found $10,000 in a Kansas City hotel room where he was staying with his father last year won't get to keep the money, even though nobody has claimed it.Tyler Schaefer said he found the wrapped and stacked bills while he was looking through drawers at the Hilton Airport Hotel last year.Video"I was shocked," he said.His father, Cody Schaefer, told him he couldn't keep the money because he didn't know who it belonged to, so they gave the money to two off-duty police officers. The family continued their trip and went to South Dakota.Under Missouri law, the family may not get to keep the money because they didn't follow the state's legal procedure. The law required them to file an affidavit within 10 days of finding the money and physically posting an announcement about the find at the courthouse door and four other places. They also had to take out a newspaper ad for four weeks.The family didn't do any of those things, though they tried to contact three Kansas City lawyers about it and didn't hear back before the 10-day limit expired.If the owner doesn't come forward after four more years, the money will go to the state treasurer's office to be kept in a trust. It could be considered unclaimed property and the Schaefers can follow the procedures to try to get it then.Cody Schaefer said he thinks the law, which was written in 1939, should change."We did the right thing and turned it in," he said. "At least it's something to show that doing the right thing is actually worth doing the right thing for, you know?"He said that knowing that they did the right thing still makes them feel good.