Baby dumped on sidewalk after thief steals car with child inside in East falls
The mother had a tracker in the vehicle, which led police to where the car was found abandoned
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A one-year-old boy was found safe early Tuesday after a car he was inside was stolen from Philadelphia's East Falls neighborhood, according to police and family members.
The child's uncle described the family's fear after the vehicle disappeared with the boy in the back seat.
"We started panicking. We started knocking on doors. I started running around the block," he said.
It happened in the 3400 block of Henry Avenue just after 11 p.m. on Monday.
According to the uncle, his sister had placed the boy in his car seat in the back of the vehicle while preparing to leave the child's grandparents' home when someone got into the car and drove away.
"I came outside and the car was just gone with the baby," said the uncle.
Police believe the person who stole the vehicle likely did not realize a child was inside.
Authorities said the car also contained a tracking device, allowing the boy's mother to monitor its location as it traveled to West Philadelphia.
Police responded to the call of the stolen car with a baby inside. The tracking device eventually lead them to the 4000 block of Parkside in West Philadelphia, where the vehicle was found abandoned.
"There was a child car seat in the vehicle, but the boy was not in the vehicle," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.
Investigators believe the person who stole the vehicle removed the child from the car seat after discovering he was inside and left him on a curb about a block from where the theft occurred.
The boy's grandparents found him there unharmed about a half-hour later, shortly after midnight.
"The grandparents actually found the boy about half a block away on the sidewalk, just sitting on the sidewalk," said Small.
Family members said the child's safe return brought a sense of relief after a frightening ordeal.
"We were happy! Man, I jumped up! I was crying. I was whew!" the uncle said.
Police said they are lifting fingerprints from the recovered vehicle and reviewing surveillance footage from the area where the car was stolen and where it was later abandoned.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Philadelphia police's anonymous tip line at 215-686-TIPS.
