You know those stories that begin with an abandoned baby on a doorstep? Well, imagine that scenario unfolding in some grass alongside a busy road.
A jogger happened upon a crying baby strapped in her car seat while out for her morning run. Hong Nguyen decided to take a different route that Monday for her jog and found the baby girl, Genesis Hailey. She discovered the crying 8-month-old, who was hungry and covered in some ant bites, in a field near a stretch of road in the Houston area.
Genesis’s mother reported her missing around 3:30 that morning after her car was stolen from a gas station with the baby still inside. She walked into the gas station for a quick purchase and in a matter of seconds, a man jumped in the vehicle and sped off with little Genesis in the back seat.
Scared, frantic, and without a cell phone, she contacted the police when she got home, hoping that her child was still alive. An Amber Alert was issued while officers searched for the car and child. Police were able to track down the stolen car to an apartment complex, but the baby’s stroller and other belongings had been tossed out.
Neither the suspect nor the baby were anywhere to be found. That is, until her hero Hong Nguyen appeared. When Nguyen found her, she thought the baby had been abandoned by her parents. She wasn’t aware of any missing children at the time but called 911 immediately.
Genesis had been separated from her mother for six or seven hours when she was found by the jogger. Her relieved mother was glad this story had a happy ending, but also learned a lesson. A follow-up interview on Houston’s local channel 2 showed the reunited mom and daughter.
The mom said that it was the first time she left her baby sleeping alone in the car and would never do it again. She saw the exact moment the car thief jumped into the car and started the ignition. She ran out after him as he pulled off, grabbing onto a door handle and screaming for him to give her the baby.
Those agonizing hours were something she never wants to repeat. It can be tempting to leave a sleeping baby undisturbed in the car, but you never know who’s watching and waiting to strike. In this case, it was lucky how things turned out, and this mom realized that.
Gas station car thefts are on the rise as criminals target vehicles with keys left in the ignition while the driver steps away from the pump or parking space. Many drivers leave their purses and other valuables unattended in unlocked vehicles while at the gas station. But there are some instances where people are so brazen that they drive off while owners are standing at the pumps with their backs turned.
You may think you and your things are safe, but all it takes is a few seconds and an opportunity. Pay attention to your surroundings, keep the doors locked, and never leave your kids alone!
What are your thoughts on this story? Have you ever stumbled into a situation as an accidental hero?