Police are searching for a man who was caught on camera stealing a SUV in central Florida with a young child sleeping inside before abandoning the 3-year-old and fleeing.
The incident took place Thursday in Holly Hill, located north of Daytona Beach. Amber Clark and Taylor Hetznecker said their child was sleeping in the backseat of their 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan when they stopped to check on an older relative and run a quick errand.
Moments later, the suspect jumped in the vehicle and sped away.
βI took off and chased him on foot for 100 yards. Knew I wouldn't catch him. Called 911 and got in my grandfather's truck and tried to catch him, but he was gone by then,β Hetznecker told WESH.
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Surveillance footage showed the SUV enter an industrial park nearby, where the suspect lifted the child out and placed him by the side of a parked car and continued to flee.
Seconds later, good Samaritan Darrel Everman passed by
βI was going to my storage unit, and I seen a 3-year-old child sitting alongside the road,β Everman said. βI didn't see any parents around, so I thought I better stop and check on him. I tried to figure out where his parents were. I couldn't, so I called 911. He was crying a little bit. I knew it was important to try and keep him calm.β
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Volusia County Sheriff's deputies arrived and reunited the child with his parents.
βRelieved we have him. The car is just a car. Shaken up, to say the least, but he's the most important thing. Cars can be replaced, people can't,β they said.
Police are still looking for the car and the suspect involved.
βWe're still looking for the vehicle and the suspect. The picture has been out. The video has been out. We want people, we know somebody knows this young man,β Holly Hill Police Chief Jeff Miller said.