A man was arrested after allegedly carjacking a mom in Van Nuys and taking off with her baby still inside the vehicle.
The theft occurred around 2 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Woodman Avenue and Sherman Way, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Around half an hour later, NBC4’s NewsChopper4 helicopter captured police officers holding the 1-year-old child, who was found near Woodman Avenue and Saticoy Street in Panorama City.
His father, Gustavo Flores, told NBC4 and Telemundo 52 that his wife had quickly gotten out of her car to pick up an order from Starbucks, which is when the suspect pushed her and took off in her vehicle.
“[The baby] was asleep. I was stupid and walked away for one second and somebody hopped in the car and ran off with him and the baby in the car,” his mother, Laurina Esposito, said. She said she chased after and grabbed onto the car but was unable to stop the man from driving off.
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Flores said he was at work when he got the news. He immediately got into his truck to look for their son.
A woman, who identified herself only as Lulu, said the suspect hit her car and she followed him. The man eventually stopped, got out and started running, which is when Lulu said she called police to tell them where they were.
NewsChopper4 captured the moments officers detained the man near a set of train tracks. Flores, who followed helicopters to the location, said he couldn’t contain his anger and roughed up the man.
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The baby was unharmed and was later grabbing microphones as reporters spoke to his parents.
The suspect, 25-year-old Jessie Lopez, was charged with carjacking and kidnapping. Asked by NBC4 if he knew a baby was in the car, Lopez declined comment as police officers escorted him to a cruiser.
