

Sandie Benitah, CP24.com





A mother who briefly had her baby boy and vehicle stolen Wednesday morning told police she left the car running while she dashed inside a Malton gas station to pay for fuel.

The woman says she was gone for about 30 seconds but when she came out, her car – and the baby sitting inside – were missing. It was seen turning onto Derry Road from Rexwood Avenue and heading west. The time was 9:02 a.m.

Her nine-month old son was found unharmed about 30 minutes later inside her vehicle which was abandoned in front of an apartment building.

The woman and her child were taken to Peel police 21 Division where she had to make a formal statement about the incident but both are now resting at home.

The woman is “emotionally distraught” and “traumatized” over the ordeal, Peel police spokesperson Const. Lilly Fitzpatrick told CP24.

“She got her baby back safe and sound but it’s still traumatizing,” she said.

Though Fitzpatrick said her decision to leave the car was not a wise one, the woman likely won’t be facing any charges.

“Something like that could happen to anyone,” she said.

Investigators have turned their attention to finding the suspect, obtaining footage from a surveillance camera at the gas station. The description officers have released of the suspect is vague – a man wearing a grey hoodie – but investigators are hoping witnesses will come forward with more information.

However, Fitzpatrick said if they do catch up with the man, he will likely only face a charge of theft and not a charge of abduction.

“Everything we’ve seen shows it was a crime of opportunity,” she said. “All we have right now is a vehicle theft, not an abduction. To lay a charge of abduction, the theft of vehicle would have been done to gain custody and control of child but there is nothing to show that.”

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