Illinois parents sue Volkswagen over tracking of carjacked vehicle with child inside

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. -- A lawsuit has been filed against Volkswagen by the parents of a toddler who was kidnapped while in the back of a carjacked vehicle.

Taylor Shepherd was outside her home in Libertyville, Illinois, and was about to get her son from the car when police said two men pulled up, knocked her to the ground and stole her car with her two-year-old son still inside.

That toddler was later found in a Waukegan parking lot unharmed.

SEE ALSO: Volkswagen announces Car-Net changes after Libertyville car theft with child inside

However, Volkswagen allegedly refused to give law enforcement the GPS tracking location data from the car because the free trial period had expired.

The family said because Volkswagen refused to cooperate with police, it delayed the urgent search for the missing child.

Following the incident, Volkswagen said it was "a serious breach of process."

"Volkswagen takes the safety and security of its customers very seriously. Our thoughts are with the victims and their family," the company said in part in a statement after the incident. "We are addressing the situation with the parties involved."

Since then, the carmaker announced that all 2020 to 2023 model year vehicles will get the Car-Net service for free for five years, our sister station in Chicago reported.