Hunt for a missing baby comes to an end – Adelaide man charged for allegedly stealing a car with a baby in the backseat
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A man from Adelaide was charged after allegedly taking a car with a four month old baby strapped in the back seat.
The horrifying incident took place in Klemzig, Adelaide at 7:45 am on a Monday, prompting an urgent police search for the missing child.
The authorities claimed that the 37 year old man turned up at the car park in a stolen grey Mazda before deserting it and taking the mum’s Honda instead. At the time, the baby’s mother was inside a nearby deli.
In released security footage of the theft, the man can be spotted leaving the Mazda before noticing a Honda left running as the female driver runs into the deli to buy a loaf of bread.
He peeks through the rear window of the car and goes back to the Mazda to grab an extra layer of clothing as well as a backpack. Then, the thief heads back to the mum’s car and jumps behind the wheel.
The police have released images of the man. Image Credit: InDaily
He then appears to reverse out of the parking space as the baby’s distraught mother comes running out, begging for him to stop driving but to no avail. She dashes to a nearby shop to raise the alarm.
“She was just so hysterical. She wanted the police and you know, she was shaking and crying,” one worker recalled.
Another employee working at the deli right across from where the car was nabbed detailed how panic-stricken the mum was when the incident occurred.
“I was serving a customer at the time, and she happened to look out the window and noticed that someone was jumping in her car, and she dropped everything and ran out to try to stop him, but he just drove away,” the employee explained.
“He was wearing a mask so I couldn’t identify (him).”
The allegedly stolen Honda was last seen heading for Windsor Grove. Shortly after, the vehicle was found abandoned on Wilkinson Avenue in Enfield.
Fortunately, the infant was still inside and unharmed. Some paramedics attended the scene but Superintendent Matt Nairn revealed that the child was ‘safe and well’.
"It is a great relief to SA Police to reunite mum and child," he added. "As I reiterate, a four-month-old, you can imagine the distress that that caused mum."
The boy was reunited with his mother and was rushed to the Women’s and Children’s hospital as a precaution.
The baby was found safe and well. Image Credit: ABC News
Following investigations, the police attended a home in the CBD at about 6pm and arrested a man in relation to the incident. He was interrogated on a Monday night before being charged with abduction of a child and illegal use later in the evening.
He has been denied bail and will appear before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
A second man at the home was also arrested on an outstanding warrant.
Superintendent Nain warned fellow parents to ‘be extra careful’ but reiterated that the mum was not to blame for what happened.
"I don't believe the mother has done anything wrong in that context," he said.
"I think in this case everything has been done by the offender or suspect, so not apportioning any blame to the mum at all. Mum's done her absolute best."
The authorities revealed that the alleged thief and the mum did not know each other at all.
What are your thoughts on this case? Share them with us in the comments!
Learn more about the incident by watching the video below:
Video Credit: 9News
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