As parents, we do everything we can to keep our children safe, but some things are unfortunately out of our control. You never know when a potential threat will surface, as one Florida mom recently discovered when she stopped to exchange information with another driver after a minor traffic accident and her car ended up being stolen — with her toddler in the backseat!
It was just 8:30 in the morning when the mom and her 3-year-old daughter were in a car accident, which is already something no parent ever wants to experience with their child in the car...but the situation quickly got even more terrifying.
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As Broward Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Claudinne Caro told ABC News, "when the mother exited her car to exchange information with the other driver, an unknown adult male entered the driver side of her vehicle and began to drive away with her child inside."
"According to authorities, the mother grabbed onto the front passenger door of her white SUV and yelled to the carjacker that her daughter was inside the vehicle. Caro said the woman was dragged by the vehicle before she fell to the ground. 'First, the subject is seen exiting the vehicle with the child in the car seat and leaving her [on] a sidewalk. Another moment captures the subject abandoning the vehicle. The final video captures the subject using the victim's credit card at a Family Dollar store,' Caro wrote in the news release."
Also captured on video are the bystanders who rushed to help the toddler after she was left by the side of the road. Police are still searching for the suspect.
Related: Stranger Gives Sisters a Scary Life Lesson After He Easily Convinces Them To Get In His Car
Carjacking might not be at the top of your list of car-related safety concerns , but carjacking and car thefts in general have been on the rise in recent years, according to Stateline.
How to Protect Yourself Against a Carjacking
It's scary to think that you and your kids might be at risk when you're on the road, but there are things you can do to help prevent carjacking, according to NBC News.
Driving in the center lane, for example, can make it "harder for potential carjackers to approach your car." Also be sure to give yourself ample room to maneuver around other cars in case you need to drive away. Don't forget to lock your car doors after getting in, and be aware of any attempts potential carjackers might make to trap you in an unsafe situation. Carjackers often use tactics like “bumping your car, pretending to be stranded motorists or flashing their lights as if there were something wrong with your car."
"In each of these scenarios, you might be tempted to pull over — only to have your car taken. Stay inside with the windows shut and the door locked and, if you feel a threat, drive to the nearest police or fire station."
Carjackings are most common at ATMs, gas stations, car washes, parking garages and parking lots, and highway exit and entry ramps — all places most of us go every day —so always stay alert when you're out running errands with your little one!
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