Patrick Julbe left his 7-month-baby in his silver Jeep Grand Cherokee for just a minute when a carjacker took off with his daughter still inside.
Ayanna Julbe
The incident happened at Morris Avenue and East Kingsbridge Road just before 7 p.m. The father stopped his car in front of a Boost Mobile store to check out a phone and left the car running. The baby’s mother was with him as well and got out of the car to join, leaving little Ayanna all alone.
Family friend, Krystal Guzman described what happened to CBS 2 News.
“He said, ‘Oh, look at this phone. She stepped out for a second as well,’” Guzman said. “As she stepped out, some dude took the truck and apparently didn’t know the baby was in the back.”
Family members said they thought they would never see little Ayanna again.
The 2005 silver Jeep Grand Cherokee was found nearly two hours later less than two miles away from where the car was stolen after a tipster alerted police of the location. Thankfully, the baby was found safe and sound right where her father left her, in the backseat. Ayanna was taken to Montefiore Hospital for evaluation and by Tuesday night she was sleeping “blissfully” as if nothing happened.
Guzman says there were cameras where the car was stolen and hope that they will catch the thief.