Stay with ABC13 Eyewitness News for the latest on this developing story.
Baby taken inside stolen car found safe
HOUSTON
It happened at Blue Ash near Barren Springs around 11:30am. After a short, but excruciating period of time for that baby's mother, the child was found dropped off at Vogel and West Little York.
It was the reunion Laniqua Smith had hoped and prayed for. A thief stole the young mother's car and Smith's 3-month-old daughter, Kaliyeah, was still inside, strapped in her car seat. Smith's family is demanding justice.
"They need to be prosecuted. They don't need to go around taking things that don't belong to them," said grandmother, Mary Roberts.
The trouble started outside Smith's aunt's apartment in north Houston. Smith, who left the car running with her daughter inside, barely made it to the front door when she turned around and the silver Chevy Malibu was gone.
"She took off running behind her and I took off running behind her and dialed 911," said aunt Mavis Roberts.
Police say not long after Smith's car was stolen, the female suspect dropped the baby off in front of Mildred Allen's doorstep in a neighborhood several miles away. The 81-year-old was on her computer when she heard the infant crying outside.
"The baby, we did get her to smile and coo for awhile, then she decided to cry because she was hungry. So we gave her water. We didn't know what to give her," said Allen.
Smith and her family arrived at Allen's home a short time later where they all shared a happy reunion. Allen was overjoyed that she could be a part of it.
"It was wonderful. I can only imagine what that girl was going through. You don't know what somebody is going to do to a child nowadays," Allen said.
Smith and her family members took the baby to Texas Children's Hospital for a medical evaluation.
An Amber Alert was issued, then canceled once the baby was found.
The suspect is still on the loose, but the Precinct 4 Constable's Office is calling off the search for the stolen vehicle.
Anyone having any information regarding the car thief or the vehicle is asked to call Precinct 4 at 281-376-3472.
