CHICAGO, IL – Relief washed over a Chicago family after their seven-month-old daughter was safely recovered following a dramatic carjacking. The infant was inside the family vehicle when it was taken, only to be left behind by the thief shortly after.
Earl Abernathy was navigating traffic when he heard a baby’s cries. His faulty air conditioning meant his windows were down, allowing him to hear the distressing sound. He found the child abandoned in a car seat near a church on Roosevelt and Halsted.
“I had to stop,” Abernathy explained. “Leaving a baby in such a situation wasn’t an option.” He promptly contacted 911 and posted on Facebook, seeking the child’s family. Meanwhile, the family was frantically looking for their missing daughter.
The baby was taken from a BP gas station where the family had left their car running. Jeremy Ochoa, 38, stole the vehicle, discarding the child four miles away. The family was understandably frantic, praying for her safe return.
Karen Fuller, the grandmother, thanked Abernathy for his decisive actions. “I found him on social media and thanked him countless times,” she said. Abernathy’s intervention allowed the police to reunite the infant with her family quickly.
The baby, wearing a yellow shirt, was unharmed. “It could have ended differently, but I’m glad it didn’t,” Abernathy remarked, stating he would help again without hesitation.
The family reported the baby was doing well after the incident. This swift resolution was a testament to community vigilance and quick action by the authorities.
The Chicago Police Department is continuing its investigation into the carjacking as the family expresses their gratitude for the community’s support.