Pregnant mom run over trying to stop car theft with toddler inside; BMW used in crime still missing

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. (WLS) -- A 2-year-old has been found safe in Waukegan Thursday after the car the child was in was stolen.

The vehicle was taken in the 16000-block of IL Route 137 in unincorporated Libertyville, according to the Lake County (IL) Sheriff's Office.

Officials said a woman pulled into her driveway at around 3:30 p.m. with two children inside her vehicle. She took one child into the house, but as she was coming back out for the second child, she said a white BMW pulled into the driveway. An unknown person got out of that vehicle and fought with the woman before stealing her car with the child still inside, the sheriff's office said.

"She, of course, was fighting for her child as her child was inside the car. However, this offender knocked her to the ground, battered her, and jumped into the driver seat of her Volkswagen," said Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.

The woman was then run over by either her vehicle or the other vehicle as they fled, police said. She suffered serious injuries to her extremities but was still able to call 911.

Investigators said she is six months pregnant.

"She sustained some broken bones and some really serious injuries. They then fled, however, she had the strength and ability to call 911," Covelli said.

While searching for the stolen vehicle and endangered child, sheriff's detectives were able to call Volkswagen Car-Net in an attempt to track the vehicle. Officials said there was a delay and Volkswagen Car-Net would not track the vehicle with the child inside until they received payment to reactivate the tracking device in the stolen vehicle.

A short time later, sheriff's officials said the child was found abandoned but unharmed in a parking lot in the 2200-block of Lakeside Drive in Waukegan. A person working at a nearby business said they saw two vehicles enter the parking lot and the driver of one of the vehicles abandon the small child before both fled again.

The worker called 911 and was able to rescue the two-year-old before they could wander into the busy roadway.

About 15 minutes after that, the vehicle was found unoccupied at Casimir Pulaski Drive and Waukegan Road, the sheriff's office said.

The mother was taken to the hospital in serious but stable condition, officials said.

Sheriff's detectives said they are looking for the white BMW, which was apparently stolen from a Waukegan car dealership last week. No one is in custody.

If you see the stolen BMW or have any information about this incident please call the Lake County Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Division at 847-377-4000 or contact Lake County CrimeStoppers at: www.lakecountycrimestoppers.org.

ABC7 has reached out to Volkswagen Car-Net about the incident and their policy but have not yet heard back.