NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – Five teenagers were arrested Wednesday by Sunrise police in connection with the carjacking and robbery of a woman inside a North Miami parking garage.
According to an arrest report, a woman called authorities and said her 16-year-old daughter, who lives in Perrine, was riding around in a stolen car near the Sawgrass Mills mall.
Police attempted to pull the car over on West Oakland Park Boulevard, but the driver took off, running several red lights, police said.
According to the report, the driver pulled over in the 2600 block of Northwest 66th Avenue and everyone inside the car ran off.
The 16-year-old girl was found in a neighborhood nearby and admitted to running from officers, police said.
The teen waived her rights both verbally and in writing and confessed to acting as a lookout during the carjacking, police said.
According to police, the teen also admitted to initially providing detectives with a false name.
Surveillance video captured the carjacking just before 10 p.m. Monday in a parking garage at 1230 NE 139th St.
"She was saying, 'Help, help me, help me, somebody,' and I believe they have cameras inside over there,'" Jason Louis, who lives nearby, said.
Surveillance video shows the group approaching the victim, and one of the robbers striking her over the head with an unknown object.
Police said another teen sprayed the woman in the face with pepper spray.
The victim's backpack, containing her cellphone and car keys, was snatched from her during the incident.
Police said the group jumped into the victim's silver 2015 Toyota Corolla with Florida tag 407YPD.
"Poor girl. She didn't expect it. I don't know if they saw that she was a vulnerable young lady and took advantage of that," a man who lives in the area, Efrain Garcia, said.
All five of the teens, one boy and four girls, have been arrested, authorities said.
The 17-year-old boy, identified as Kersey Lindor, appeared in court Thursday.
"Is there anything you want to say about your son?" Local 10 News reporter Michael Seiden asked Lindor's mother.
"No," she said before walking away.
Lindor is expected to appear in court on Friday because prosecutors said they need extra time to collect evidence.
Local 10 News was told that the victim, who is a nursing student, is shaken but otherwise is doing OK.