Gwinnett County police are searching for a man suspected of kidnapping a mother and her baby in a carjacking, leading to the woman jumping from the moving car with her baby in order to escape.
The mother, who was not identified by police, sustained minor injuries in the escape and the baby was unhurt, though its car seat was damaged, according to Gwinnett police spokesman Cpl. Collin Flynn. The woman was treated and released at the scene, Flynn said.
The Aug. 18 incident, which was captured by security cameras at an Exxon gas station at 1350 Boggs Road in Lawrenceville, began when the mother stopped to eat dinner from her car, Flynn said. According to the preliminary investigation, the woman was standing at the back of her car when the suspect walked by, noticed her and approached her from behind. She was visibly startled on the video, Flynn said.
The man reached for what the woman thought was a gun and attacked her, investigators said. After punching the mother in the face multiple times, he told her to get in the back seat of the car with the baby. The man then drove away with two of the car’s doors still open.
As he was driving, the man demanded money from the woman, she told investigators. He also said that he was going to choke and kill her, according to police. Afraid for her life, the mother grabbed the baby’s car seat and jumped from the vehicle as the suspect continued to drive away.
The car was located the next day abandoned in Duluth, Flynn said. The woman did not know the suspect and police believe she was randomly targeted. Gwinnett police have released photos of the suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to contact GCPD detectives at 770-513-5300. To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477 or visit stopcrimeATL.com.
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