An Indianapolis man who went out to retrieve his belongings stumbled upon two girls who had been left in a ditch in freezing temperatures after their family's car was stolen, police said.
Robert Dean was leaving his house on Monday morning to check if his mail had arrived when two car seats were thrown into a local ditch, killing two toddlers, a 4-month-old and a 5-month-old. I found a person crying for help.
“One of them was screaming and I immediately grabbed him by the car seat and pulled him into the car.” he told local CBS 4. “We got them warmed up and called 911.”
Shortly before Dean made the call, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), about four miles away on East Jimber Street, reported that his 2013 Hyundai Sonata had been stolen and that two girls, both cousins, were in the back seat. I received a report because I was sitting there.
Police said they were just beginning their search when they received a call from Dean about the whereabouts of her car and baby.
It remains unclear how long the babies were out in the 27-degree weather, or why they were sitting alone in the back seat of the car at the time of the theft.
Indianapolis Police Department spokesman William Young praised Dean as a good Samaritan who rescued the girls from the cold before the weather hit.
“He did what any good person would do and evacuated the young children.” Young told the Indianapolis Star..
“This is the result we wanted. We can't thank the Good Samaritan enough,” he added.
Police said they found the stolen vehicle a short time later, and officers asked for the public's help in identifying the suspect in the kidnapping.
Young noted that this is the second similar incident to hit Indianapolis in the past two weeks. A boy was abducted on Nov. 20 when a suspect stole a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox.
A police spokesperson warned parents not to leave children in cars, even in winter, when many people drive alone to get warm.
