A Georgia mother’s routine Instacart delivery turned into a nightmare after a man allegedly stole her vehicle with her two-year-old daughter still strapped into the back seat, leading to a dramatic rescue that later took a disturbing turn.
Newly released 911 audio and police body camera footage show the frantic moments after the theft — and the swift rescue that ended with officers arresting the suspect and safely recovering the child less than 15 minutes later.
“Someone just stole my car and it has my 2-year-old daughter in it,” the distraught mother told an Atlanta 911 dispatcher. When the dispatcher asked if the child was still inside the vehicle, the mother responded through tears, “Yes, my 2-year-old daughter was in the backseat. I was dropping off an Instacart order and I came back outside and my car is gone. My daughter was inside.”
According to the Atlanta Police Department, the incident unfolded around 4:30 p.m. on July 30 after the mother left her vehicle running while delivering an Instacart order. Investigators said she estimated she was away from the vehicle for less than four minutes before discovering it had been stolen.
Officers with the department’s Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit immediately began searching for the vehicle, using the city’s network of license plate readers to quickly locate it at a nearby Publix shopping center.
Body camera footage shows officers surrounding the stolen vehicle with weapons drawn before ordering the suspect to surrender.
“Hands up! Hands up!” an officer shouted. “What you’re gonna do is you’re going to get out and face away from me,” the officer instructed. “Get out the car, slow. Put your hands behind your back.” The suspect complied and was taken into custody without further incident as the toddler cried from inside the vehicle.
“It’s okay, baby,” another officer can be heard saying as she comforted the screaming and crying toddler.
Police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Saleem Martin. He has been charged with kidnapping, theft by taking, simple battery, entering an automobile, cruelty to children, and criminal attempt to commit a felony.
While police initially said the toddler appeared unharmed, court documents obtained by local reporters revealed disturbing new allegations. According to an arrest warrant, the child’s mother noticed the bottom of her daughter’s dress had been unbuttoned after they were reunited. When asked what happened, the two-year-old allegedly told her mother, “the man did it,” referring to Martin, according to the warrant.
The warrant further alleges officers found Martin with both hands on the child’s torso as he attempted to duck down and hide between the seats when police surrounded the vehicle. Atlanta police said its Special Victims Unit has joined the investigation. Martin told investigators he had only been touching the child because he was trying to calm her down after she began crying.
He also reportedly claimed he stole the running vehicle because he was trying to “get back to New Jersey” and did not realize the toddler was inside until after he had driven away. Investigators further claim Martin admitted he discarded an iPad found inside the vehicle because he believed it would be used to track his location.
Police credited the city’s license plate reader system with helping officers locate the stolen vehicle, arrest the suspect, and safely rescue the toddler before she could be taken farther away.
.png)
.png)
