A neighborhood chase ended near Shields Avenue after residents and school district workers stopped the vehicle.
FRESNO, CA — Two young children were found safe Wednesday after a man stole a vehicle with them inside in central Fresno, prompting neighbors and Fresno Unified School District workers to chase, stop and detain the suspect, police said.
The children, ages 1 and 3, were reunited with their mother after the midmorning theft near Harrison and Cornell avenues. Police identified the suspect as Nathaniel Benavidez and said he was taken into custody. The case moved quickly from a stolen vehicle report to a kidnapping investigation because the children were still inside when the vehicle left the home.
The incident was reported around 11:05 a.m. Wednesday after the mother returned home and began unloading groceries, Fresno police said. The children remained inside the vehicle while she stepped into the house. Moments later, police said, she heard the vehicle being driven away. Sgt. Diana Vega of the Fresno Police Department said the mother “ran after the vehicle” and screamed for help as it left the area. People nearby heard the calls and began following the stolen vehicle through the neighborhood.
Witnesses and police said the vehicle, described by one neighbor as a black SUV, moved toward Shields Avenue as people tried to keep it in sight. Fresno Unified grounds workers Gerald Garcia, Isaias Diaz and Roberto Mejia were working nearby when they were alerted to the theft. Garcia said the vehicle was moving slowly with the back hatch up. A second person helped stop the vehicle near Harrison Avenue and Shields Avenue, and the district workers pulled in behind it. Garcia said a woman at the scene was pounding on the door while trying to get the driver out.
Police said the group blocked the vehicle, pulled the suspect out and rescued the children before officers arrived. Garcia said the suspect tried to run after getting out of the vehicle. “He did almost get a head start,” Garcia said, adding that he and another worker caught up with him about 20 yards away. Cellphone video later showed Garcia and Diaz holding the man on the ground as law enforcement aircraft could be heard overhead. The children were not reported injured.
Marycela Pacheco, a neighbor who helped respond, said she and her son got into a car after hearing the mother call for help. Pacheco said she opened a door after the vehicle was stopped and saw the children inside. “I was surprised to see two babies,” she said. “At that point I just knew they were safe.” Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her praised the workers, saying they acted because they saw children in danger and wanted to protect them.
Police said Benavidez was already on probation for burglary. He was expected to face charges that included kidnapping, vehicle theft and a probation violation. ABC30 reported that he also faced child endangerment allegations. Authorities did not immediately release the full booking record, a court date or details on whether prosecutors had formally filed charges by Thursday. Police also had not publicly said whether investigators believe Benavidez knew the children were inside before the vehicle was taken.
The case drew attention in central Fresno because the response unfolded in public and ended before officers reached the vehicle. The starting point was reported near Harrison and Cornell avenues, while the stop occurred near Harrison Avenue and Shields Avenue. The quick pursuit by residents and district workers helped keep the vehicle close to the original area, police said. Officers later confirmed both children were back with their mother and that Benavidez remained in custody.
The investigation remained active Friday, with police reviewing witness statements, video and the sequence of events between the vehicle theft and the stop near Shields Avenue. The next public milestone is expected when Fresno County prosecutors determine final charges in the case.
Author note: Last updated April 25, 2026.