Car thief drives off with mother’s 4-month-old in backseat in Lauderhill

LAUDERHILL, FLA. (WSVN) - A mother is relieved to have her baby back in her arms after a thief got behind the wheel of her car and drove off with her 4-month-old sleeping in the backseat.

That mother parked outside of a Kwik Stop convenience store in Lauderhill Friday before she walked in to pay a bill, leaving her child inside to sleep. Once she realized her Dodge Challenger was in the process of being stolen, she jumped on the car. In the end, she learned a valuable lesson.

“I was paying a bill,” said Angie, who did not want to give her last name, “I just went in there to pay a bill. She was sleeping. I had the keys of the car in my purse, on me. My car is push to start, so I didn’t think he would be able to drive away with my keys on me.”

The store’s surveillance cameras rolled as the robber opened Angie’s car door and got in.

“The moment she saw him getting in the car, he just drove off,” said a witness. “So it was really hard for her to catch him, you know.”

Angie can be seen running to the car moments later. “I grabbed on to the door. He dragged me with the car, put it in reverse, put it in drive and drove away,” Angie said. “I said, ‘Please, don’t take the baby. Please, don’t take my car. My baby’s inside.'”

Angie’s ordeal was not a long one after she ran back inside the convenience store to call police. Officials found the car dumped nearby with the baby inside. “Thankfully, someone here saw the car abandoned, so we were able to recover the baby,” Angie said.

Now she has words of warning for other parents. “Please, just make sure that you never leave your baby in the car. Never,” she said. “Even if it’s just for a second. Even if you think it’ll be fine, even if the car is locked, just don’t do it. It’s not worth the risk.”

If you recognize this would-be car thief, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.

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