advertisement

instacart delivery driver's car stolen in atlanta with toddler still in back seat

see more toronto sun on google — save as a preferred source
an atlanta mother working as an instacart delivery driver had her car stolen with her two-year-old daughter still inside the vehicle, fox news reported.
it all happened around 4:30 p.m. on july 30, according to the atlanta police department.
the woman was distraught when she reached atlanta cops, judging from the 911 call and police body camera footage that were released after she left her car running during a delivery.
“someone just stole my car and it has my two-year-old daughter in it,” the mother tells an atlanta 911 dispatcher, who asks if the child was inside the vehicle.
“yes, my two-year-old daughter was in the back seat. i was dropping off an instacart order and i came back outside and my car is gone. my daughter was inside.”
after a moment, she cries out again: “my daughter was inside!”
 police body camera footage shows saleem martin, 21, being arrested by atlanta police after a female instacart delivery driver reported her was car stolen with her two-year-old daughter still inside the vehicle (atlanta police department)
police body camera footage shows saleem martin, 21, being arrested by atlanta police after a female instacart delivery driver reported her was car stolen with her two-year-old daughter still inside the vehicle (atlanta police department) atlanta police department

vehicle found within 15 minutes

using the city’s licence plate reader, the atlanta police auto crimes enforcement unit found the vehicle, with the male suspect and child inside, in under 15 minutes.
“hands up! hands up!” an officer shouts to a male suspect in a body camera footage showing police surrounding the stolen vehicle and ordering the driver to get out.
“hands on the window now,” another officer orders. “what you’re gonna do is you’re going to get out and face away from me, you understand me? get out the car slow. put your hands behind your back.”
once cops take the suspect into custody, the toddler cries nearby with her mother saying: “it’s ok, baby. it’s ok, baby.”

recommended video

accused faces 6 charges, including kidnapping

saleem martin, 21, was charged with kidnapping, theft by taking, simple battery, entering an automobile, cruelty to children and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
authorities said the toddler was unharmed and reunited with her parents.
story continues below

advertisement

the suspect allegedly said he got into the running vehicle to “get back to new jersey” and wasn’t aware of the toddler’s presence in the back seat until he drove away.
an arrest warrant obtained by nbc affiliate 11alive said the child’s mother later noticed that the bottom of her daughter’s dress was unbuttoned and the girl allegedly told her mom that “the man did it.”
the suspect was allegedly holding the child by the torso when he was found trying to duck down and hide between the seats, 11alive reported, leading to the atlanta police special victims unit investigating.
the suspect allegedly told investigators he was trying to calm the girl down.
jane stevenson
jane stevenson

i have been a toronto sun columnist since 1995, the majority of that time as music critic with an avid interest in film (including tiff every year) and tv and more recently adding news to my portfolio recalling my vancouver journalism beginnings in radio and print.

read more about the author

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.