PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. – Police say someone stole a car from a child care center with a 16-month-old child inside. The car was found a short time later and the baby is OK.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office says the 2010 Ford Focus was taken from Kindercare at 10221 152nd St. E. in Puyallup at 10:34 a.m.
Kayla Hill said her daughter Audrey has spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that can be fatal.
She said when she arrived to drop off an older sister, Audrey was asleep.
“I ran in for maybe 15 seconds, walked from the car to the door and someone peeled out in my car and took my daughter with them,” she said.
It was 11 minutes before police told her the girl was safe.
She described those moments as, “Hell, torture.”
Hill said she does not usually leave her children in the car with the engine running.
“I’m not the first person to leave your car running,” said Hill. “It’s just sad what the world’s coming to.”
Police are still looking for the thief.
