Police: Child unharmed after suspect steals vehicle with girl inside

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - A mother holds her baby tight after they are reunited following a terrifying ordeal. The woman and her family own Mckean Laundromat at 8th and Mckean in South Philly.

"She was closing up for the night. She put her 19-month-old child in the back car seat. The baby was crying because it didn't have a certain toy," said Inspector Ray Evers with Philadelphia Police. Police say the woman goes back into the store to get the toy and in ten seconds a man jumped in and took off. After realizing there was a baby in the back seat the suspect stopped three blocks away on the 900 block of Emily Street and left the baby on the sidewalk strapped in its car seat.

Zuri Crisanto is one several people who says she saw the man leave the baby and rushed to help.

"She was crying. I carry her and she was pointing and saying mommy mommy and I said I don't know who your mommy is so you have to wait till the cops come," said Crisanto.

Police say the suspect kept going in the gray 2014 Rav-4. They say they're working on getting surveillance video that shows the suspect taking the car and leaving the baby at the other location.

"Luckily, he had some wits about him just to release the baby and we're glad for that but obviously we're still looking for him and he will be charged accordingly," said Inspector Evers.

Crisanto says she's just glad to see mom and baby together again.

"The baby is safe. Thank God the baby is safe," she said.

Police are still looking for the suspect and the car. It's a gray 2014 Rav-4 with Pennsylvania tag number JMT4312.