SWEETWATER, Fla. – Police are looking for the woman who they believe handed off a 9-month-old baby at a Chinese restaurant in Sweetwater on Thursday afternoon after stealing a car with the child inside.
“What I can tell you is that this person is facing some serious charges including grand theft auto and false imprisonment,” said Jonathan Arche of Sweetwater Police.
Police have obtained a photo of the woman.
Jim Liu owns the restaurant. He said a woman in her 60s walked into his restaurant Thursday afternoon, handed the baby to a customer, and took off.
“(She) looks like homeless, but the face looks like, it’s not a good person you know,” Liu said. One of the restaurant customers called 911 and police responded quickly.
According to police, the baby was in the car when the vehicle was stolen around 4 p.m. Thursday. Witnesses said it happened outside of a dry cleaners, near 111th Avenue and West Flagler. Officers located the child along with the stolen vehicle. The 9-month-old was quickly reunited with her mother.
Police are still searching for the woman.
Anyone with information is urged to call Sweetwater police or Crimestoppers at 305-471-8477.