1-Year-Old Who Was In Vehicle When It Was Stolen Found Safe, AMBER Alert Canceled
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - An AMBER Alert has been canceled for a 1-year-old boy who was inside a vehicle that was stolen on Saturday. As it turned out, there was a woman in the right place at the right time, and that's what ended the incident.
Da'Merion White was in the back of his mother's Jeep Saturday afternoon when it was stolen near 42nd and Humboldt in Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Police Department says the mom buckled him in, then left the car running while she ran back inside to get something. The car and the boy were gone when she came back out.
An AMBER Alert was issued. That's when a woman in Brooklyn Center saw the car idling in a parking lot across the street from her house.
"I was crying. I called my daughter because I have nine grandchildren and I called her and said 'Honey this car's been sitting here for a while.' She said call the cops, so I did," Barb Gusse said. "I'm just happy because I could hear that little thing crying when they opened the door."
Brooklyn Center Police found the car after receiving that tip. When they arrived at the 5600 block of Brooklyn Boulevard, the engine was running and the suspect had left the car on foot. The vehicle had been left near the entrance of a church.
Police say the boy was "all smiles" when the officers picked him up. He was taken to an area hospital to be checked out, which is standard procedure.
Police are now processing the Jeep for forensics.
John Elder, Director of Police Information says there have been 401 cars stolen since the start of the year. He says 75% of auto thefts occur when a car is running and occupied. There have been several other instances when a car has been stolen with a child inside.
In addition to charges of felony auto theft, the suspect also faces kidnapping charges.
