A woman whose four-week-old baby was taken in a carjacking has said the car thieves were fully aware her child was in the vehicle and that they deliberately ran her over as she tried to stop them.

In a statement released by West Midlands police on Friday, Clare O’Neill said she was thankful her daughter was returned to her safe and well, but added: “I am still extremely shaken about what has happened and we as a family are still trying to come to terms with what has happened.



“Eliza is thankfully safe and well, but the people responsible clearly knew she was in my car when it was taken, putting the life of our four-week-old baby at risk as a result of their personal greed.”

The mother and daughter have now been discharged from hospital after the incident in Birmingham on Thursday. O’Neill sustained facial injuries, bruising and a broken tooth.



“This was caused by the wheel of my car running me over while I battled to stop my daughter being taken. Due to the injury to my arm I am now unable to hold Eliza [in that arm] for the next four or so weeks,” she said.



“I am appealing for people to come forward with any information about who is responsible or behind this. The life of my daughter was endangered by the reckless behaviour of those involved. Please come forward and assist the police with their inquiries.”

O’Neill, 39, pulled up on her drive in the Acocks Green area of the city at 4pm on Thursday and was approached by two men. As she fought to get her daughter out of the car, the men drove off.

Police began a search for the baby, and 45 minutes later an ambulance crew at Small Heath health centre recovered her safe and well, still in her car seat.

Witnesses told the Birmingham Mail: “I heard someone shouting: ‘My baby, my baby.’ I thought it was a domestic. Two cars sped off out of the street, her car following another car very closely behind. They were so close you couldn’t see the front licence plate on her car.

“I saw the car they arrived in but only one person was in it, so whether the accomplice was lying down or already on the street I don’t know. The woman was injured. She had abrasions on her legs and face.”

Neighbours rushed out to help O’Neill. Kanu Chavda, 68, said he and his wife heard screaming and shouting outside their home.

“When she looked out the window she saw a struggle going on. All of the residents came out and the mother was on the floor. She was bruised and bloodied,” he said.

“She said her baby had been snatched by two guys, with one wearing a black hood. I’ve lived here for 30 years and never known anything like this.”

DI Jim Munro said: “This incident has shocked the whole of our force area … We have a team of officers trawling through CCTV and speaking to residents … as well as fast-tracking forensic analysis of the baby seat.

“We are asking anyone who may have seen the grey Audi A3 S-line with registration number BJ66 YLV since yesterday afternoon to contact us.”

Neighbours said the family were expected home on Friday evening. Other locals turned up to leave flowers and clothes for the baby.

Patients at the health centre praised two receptionists who found the baby. “They were so calm and really looked after the baby. She was in safe hands,” said the patient, who did not want to be named.

The baby was examined at the health centre before being taken to Birmingham’s Heartlands hospital as a precaution.

On Tuesday another Audi S3 was stolen in a carjacking six miles away, in the Nechells area of the city. CCTV footage showed a young mother fleeing with her daughter, two, in Jameson Road at 1.30pm.