NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man is facing charges after police said he stole a woman’s running vehicle Wednesday morning with her 1-year-old child still in the back seat.
The woman was making a food delivery on 21st Avenue South near Scarritt Place when she left the vehicle running with the child inside, according to Metro Nashville police.
Midtown Hills Precinct officers searched the area and found the vehicle abandoned nearby at Grand Avenue and 21st Avenue. The child was still inside and was not hurt.
Police said the suspect had left before officers arrived.
Officers later found 43-year-old Joshua Melton on Lyle Avenue wearing the same clothing seen in surveillance footage. Melton told police he did not know there was a child in the vehicle when he took it.
Melton was charged with vehicle theft and child neglect. He was booked into jail on a $36,000 bond.
Kids and Car Safety, a national nonprofit focused on protecting children in and around vehicles, said thieves often target running or unattended vehicles and may not realize a child is inside until after driving away. “These incidents are entirely preventable,” Executive Director Amber Rollins said. The organization advises caregivers never to leave a child or pet alone in a vehicle, even briefly, and recommends using drive-thru or curbside pickup when possible.
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- Carrie Sharp
