7-month-old rescued after man steals car with baby inside, Gwinnett police say

Officers rescued a kidnapped 7-month-old girl who was asleep inside a stolen car. A 29-year-old man now faces charges.

Gwinnett police said they received several reports Monday night that a car had been stolen from the 4100 block of Sugarloaf Parkway.

The baby’s father told police he had went inside the store and left the car running with her in the backseat. When he came out of the store, the father said he saw a man sitting in his driver’s seat.

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“The father confronted the male, who put the vehicle in reverse and began driving recklessly out of the parking lot,” police said. “On the way out of the parking lot, the vehicle struck a sign, another vehicle, and jumped the curb.”

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An off-duty officer who heard the call found the car abandoned less than a mile from the parking lot. The 7-month-old was still in the backseat and was not harmed, according to police.

Officers continued their search in the area for the suspect and took Joshua Rodriguez of Buford into custody. Rodriguez faces charges of aggravated assault, kidnapping, theft of a motor vehicle and two hit and run counts.

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