CLAYTON COUNTY, GA – An alarming incident emerged from Clayton County, Georgia, when a baby was kidnapped after a suspect stole a car with the 2-month-old child in the backseat. Thankfully, the child was subsequently found safe, and the suspect was arrested after a high-speed chase. The suspect, identified as 17-year-old Jonathan Johnson, now faces serious charges.
Johnson stole a silver 2008 Acura TL that was momentarily left parked with the engine running outside a restaurant, around midday. The car had a 2-month-old baby in the backseat while the mother went inside to pick up food. The car was swiftly driven off by Johnson, leaving the mother panicked and distraught. To locate the stolen vehicle and the child, a BOLO (Be On the Look Out) was issued by the sheriff’s office.
Approximately 45 minutes later, law enforcement officers identified the vehicle. A potential AMBER Alert by the CCPD Criminal Investigations Division was being coordinated with the GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) concurrently, signaling the gravity of the situation. As the alert was being prepared to be issued, deputies observed the suspect’s vehicle near them at Southlake Parkway and Mt. Zion Road. They tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver accelerated and evaded the officers.
The vehicle chase culminated when the suspect crashed near Mt. Zion Baptist Church, adjacent to a cemetery. He attempted to escape on foot into a nearby forested area, ultimately running into the waiting arms of the GSP (Georgia State Patrol).
Unfortunately, the baby was not found in the vehicle with the suspect upon his arrest. Ensuing moments saw the child located near Tara Boulevard, in Jonesboro, behind a dumpster at Tara Woods Apartments. The child was still in its car seat, left seemingly unattended. As of now, the child’s condition remains undisclosed.