8-month-old boy abducted from Dolton found safe following Amber Alert
DOLTON, Ill. (WLS) -- An 8-month-old baby has been found and is in good condition following an Amber Alert issued Saturday morning.
Dolton Police say the boy was sitting in a car seat in the back of a vehicle at the Maxwell Street restaurant on Sibley Blvd, around 7:35 a.m. when he was believed to be abducted by an unidentified man.
The child's father went inside to grab food and left his rental car running and unlocked with the boy in the back seat, when someone jumped in and took off, according to Dolton Police Chief Ernest Mobley.
The child was in a black 2021 Kia K5 with North Carolina license plate HKB6993 and was last seen going north on Lincoln Avenue.
After about 15 minutes of issuing the Amber Alert, the car was found with the baby inside in the 500 block of Green Bay in Calumet City, according to Mobley.
The baby is now with family being checked out at St. Margaret Hospital, said Mobley.
"We're happy this turned out to be good and that the child was not harmed," said Mobley.
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The incident appeared to be random but the suspect or suspects have not yet been found.
Officials are urging residents to look at their home security footage to see if they can spot the vehicle or any individuals running out of the car.
Dolton Village Trustee Tiffany Henyard thanks all the residents who stepped up when the Amber Alert went out but she also urged parents to keep their children with them at all times.
"I want people to take heed to this and take this is as a warning and don't let this be your lesson," said Henyard. "It's a matter of seconds, this could happen to anybody."
This incident is an example of a growing problem in the south suburbs, according to police.
Dolton police report a recent spike in car thefts and carjackings, but said the department is working around the clock to track down the offenders in these open cases before they do it again.
"We still have work to do. Who is next? I will say, who is next," said activist Andew Holmes.
