4-year-old safe after being taken with stolen car
Early morning disappearance from driveway sparked alert
It’s one of those things police caution people never to do.
On a frigid Friday morning, a mother in the Jane St. and Lawrence Ave. area started her Toyota Camry and left it idling to warm up the engine as it sat in the driveway.
The mother ducked back into her home for just a moment, leaving her 4-year-old daughter sitting inside the car with the door unlocked, so she could take a second child out the door. But that was all it took. Police said that when she returned outside, at about 6 a.m., someone had entered the car and driven away.
“Do not leave your child in the car alone, ever,” Det. Ranbir Dhillon cautioned parents on Friday.
The incident sparked an Amber Alert for Christina Nguyen that lasted nearly three hours as Torontonians searched for the black Toyota Camry with the little girl inside.
Drivers reported to police they spotted the vehicle on major highways in the west end of the city. When approached, a suspect was seen speeding away erratically on the shoulder of the highway.
Later that morning, Christina was found safely in the car after it was abandoned in a parking lot near the family home. A member of the public had heard about the Amber Alert and phoned police after recognizing the vehicle as they walked by.
The car was running and Christina was still inside at the time.
“She’s OK,” said Dhillon, adding paramedics checked on her during the day.
The good news came just minutes before a scheduled press conference at 9:30 a.m. Dhillon said an investigation is underway.
After Christina returned home at about 10:15 a.m., her cousin Tony Lam provided a statement to the media on behalf of his aunt and uncle.
“We’d like to thank everyone, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Toronto Police Service and the local news and radio stations for helping us find Christina,” Lam said outside the family home.
“The family’s relieved and in good spirits. Christina’s in good health and I just want to give a special thank you to everyone on social media for sharing the story and helping us find her. We’d like to request privacy for the family and give them an opportunity to recover from this traumatic situation.”
Toronto Police Sgt. Juan QuijadaMancia told media outside the home no information is available yet on a possible suspect and that a police investigation is ongoing.
“The little girl is in good health. Christina was found safe. The family is requesting privacy,” he said. “It’s a very difficult situation for them so she’s trying to get back to a normal life.”