A 35-year-old Florida man has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, carjacking, and other offenses after allegedly stealing a car with a child in the back seat and abandoning her on the side of the road.
A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly stole a car with a child in the back seat before abandoning her on the side of the road.
The Broward County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the suspect responsible for the alleged carjacking, Willio Petioma, 35, was caught after an anonymous tip led to his arrest.
Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Carjacking Vehicle with Child Inside
Officials said the incident took place on Wednesday, June 26, just before 8:30 a.m., when a call about a stolen vehicle was reported in Oakland Park.
The preliminary investigation revealed the victims, a mother and her 3-year-old daughter, were involved in a car accident with another vehicle.
Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Carjacking Vehicle with Child Inside
When the mother exited her car to exchange information with the other driver, Petioma allegedly entered the driver's side of her vehicle and began to drive away with her child inside.
Investigators said the mother grabbed onto the front passenger door of her vehicle and yelled out to Petioma that her child was inside the car. The mother was then dragged before falling to the ground as Petioma drove away.
Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Carjacking Vehicle with Child Inside
Investigators obtained surveillance video of Petioma that captured the entire ordeal.
Video shows Petioma getting out of the vehicle with the child in the car seat. He then leaves her on the sidewalk.
Florida Man Arrested After Allegedly Carjacking Vehicle with Child Inside
Luckily, a couple of Good Samaritans immediately go up to the abandoned child.
Additional surveillance video shows Petioma abandoning the vehicle and then using the victim’s credit card at a Family Dollar store, police said.
On Sunday, June 30, officials said Petioma was taken into custody and booked into the Broward County Sheriff's Office Main Jail.
Authorities said he is facing charges that include kidnapping, carjacking, interfering with custody of a minor, and illegal use of a credit card. He was also arrested on a Palm Beach County warrant for possession of cocaine and resisting an officer.
The child was unharmed and was reunited with her mother.
