Grandmother, Infant Grandson Carjacked Outside Of Jail
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GREENSBURG (KDKA) - A grandmother who was carjacked with her infant grandson in the backseat is speaking out, telling her terrifying tale of what happened to her outside of the Westmoreland County Prison.
Dorothy Pearlman is recuperating from bumps and bruises at home now after a man forced his way into her car outside the jail.
"I was sitting there talking to a friend on the phone and this African American man jumped into my car, and told me I had to drive him," she said. "I told him I couldn't drive him cause I had a baby in the car."
Pearlman was outside the jail waiting for her grandson's mother who was inside on a visit 34-year-old Thomas Williams, who had just been released from jail, and started beating her.
"He punched me in the side of my faces, and came over to my side of the car, and jumped over the console", said the distraught Grandmother.
Williams then pushed Pearlman out of the car and took off with 13-month-old Adrian, still strapped into his car seat.
"He just took off with my car, and I started to scream, "He's taking my baby, he's taking my baby!"
All this was going on outside the jail while the little boy's mother, Dolores Scratchard, was inside on a visit. She had no idea what was happening.
Williams crashed into another car not far away, and ran from the scene, leaving the little boy still strapped in his car seat. Shaken, but not seriously hurt. But at the time, Scratchard could only think of Adrian's safety.
"All I could think about was my son. Was he coming back to me? Why did he take my son," she said.
Police caught up with Williams and he's back in the county jail. Both Pearlman and her grandson are recovering - both physically and emotionally. As for mom, she is definitely more forgiving than most.
"I pray for the man to get the help that he needs to live as a progressive, civil human," she said.
