Houston Jogger Finds Abducted Baby in Bushes
A woman was on her morning jog in north Houston on Monday when she happened upon an infant girl, hidden in bushes along the side of the road, strapped in her car seat, according to CNN.
Hong Nguyen called the police on finding the baby, who had been in a car seat in her mother's car when the car was stolen from a gas station about six hours before she was found, CNN reported. The child's mother had gone into the convenience store and left the keys in the ignition.
The stolen car was found a few blocks from the gas station about two hours after it was taken, but Genesis Hailey, the infant, was missing along with her car seat, the report said. Police said Genesis seemed to be in good health when they arrived at the scene, despite hunger and suffering what they said were several ant bites.
"I did spot a couple of ants on the baby, and I was able to get them off," Albert Pizana, the officer who responded to the jogger's emergency call, told CNN.
Houston police still are searching for the suspect, a man in his late teens or early 20s.
"I don't know what kind of an animal would do this to a child," Lt. H. Lopez, of the Houston Police Department's homicide division, told CNN. "Leaving the child in the middle of nowhere."
Police said the baby's mother was in the convenience store for just a few seconds before she saw the man get in the car and drive away with the door still open, according to CNN. The thief was in such a rush that he backed the car into the railing of the gas pump before he sped off with his infant passenger in the back. The mother ran out of the store but was unable to catch the car.
"It's a good reminder for the public not to leave their vehicles running, especially with a baby inside," Lopez said.