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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis police are looking for the person who stole a car that had a young child inside it Monday morning in Cordova.

Officers received the call around 8:45 a.m. that the car, which was left running and unattended, had been stolen from Ambergate Lane at the Woodchase Apartments.

Memphis police say the 1-year-old was in the backseat.

Within an hour, someone spotted the abandoned car on Wood Mills Drive about 2.5 miles away from the apartment and called police.

“There’s always panic when something like that happens,” said Caroline, the victim’s business partner who came to help search. “We just came to support and do all we could to help her find the baby.”

It’s not clear what happened, but a front tire was flat and no suspect was in sight.

Thankfully, the little girl was still inside and safe.

“She’s okay. She’s okay. She’s playing right now and eating. She’s fine,” Caroline said.

She says it’s a lesson learned to never leave a child unattended in a car.

It’s something police have seen too much of recently.

“It’s very important, we can’t stress this enough. Parents, please do not leave your children in an unattended vehicle. No matter how cold it is, that is the last thing you’ll want to do,” said Lt. Colonel Stan Johnson with the Memphis Police Department.

Lt. Johnson said you never know what criminals are capable of or when they’re waiting for an opportunity.

Everyone is just thankful the incident didn’t turn out worse.

“Everyone is relieved. The mother is ecstatic. She’s found her child unharmed, and she’s just grateful,” Lt. Colonel Johnson said.

Detectives issued the 1-year-old’s mother a misdemeanor citation for leaving a child in an unattended vehicle.

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