3 children reunited with mother after East Point carjacking
When a mother stopped with her son, niece and nephew to pick up a few items from a Citgo gas station in East Point, she didn’t expect that her car would be stolen with the young children inside.
But that’s exactly what happened to Ashley Cook Tuesday night on Stanton Road, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Police later found and returned the car, a silver Acura, and brought the children home safely to their mother the same day.
“Thank you for finding my son, and my nieces and nephews,” Cook said. “I’m very thankful.”
She left her car running for what she said was no more than a few seconds.
“I went inside the gas station,” Cook told Channel 2. “In 2 seconds, my car was gone.”
Inside the car were a 5-year-old girl and two 4-year-old boys.
Police were reviewing gas station surveillance video of the moments right before the carjacking to identify a suspect.
“Somebody got out of that car and got into her vehicle and drove off,” East Point police Lt. Allyn Glover said.
Police found the car with the kids still inside about two hours later at another gas station 3 miles away in southwest Atlanta, according to Channel 2.
“They stole us,” one of the children told police.
Medics took the kids to a hospital as a precaution, but they were returned home without injury.
