San Jose police released a sketch of a woman they say stole a Jeep Liberty with a baby in the back seat early Monday morning.
The baby and the car were found a few hours later, but the person who drove away was still on the loose, according to police. (Photo below).
Suspect description:
- Hispanic
- Female
- between 38-45 years old
- dark complexion
- dark hair up in a bun
- wearing dark, possibly suede tight fit jacket
Gabriella Milton Quintero, whois eleven months old, was the subject of an Amber Alert that lasted more than four hours Monday. The child's mother, Graciella Quintero, reported her missing at 6:45 a.m.
San Jose police found the stolen car at an apartment complex near the Seven Trees Community Center on Amargosa Court at 11:15 a.m. That's about six miles from the child's home.
Someone called 911 to say they spotted the SUV. Police said when they arrived the baby was in the back seat crying.
The baby was taken to a nearby hospital where she was reunited with her mother. The two did not get back home until after 9 p.m. Graciella Quintero thanked everyone for helping locate her child as she arrived back home late Monday night.
San Jose police Sgt. Jason Dwyer said from the beginning officers treated the case as if the little girl's life is held in the balance.
The baby's first birthday is this Friday. The little girl's mother said she left the child in the vehicle as she continued to get items from in the house to load into the vehicle. She told police that she hadn't even strapped her into the car seat yet.
Police said they don't know if the motive was kidnapping or auto theft. They said there have been cases where someone has stolen a car not realizing they were taken a child. In many of those case, the car with the child inside is abandoned unharmed. That was the case this time.
Quintero, who is a single mother, did not recognize the suspect but saw her standing nearby before the car was stolen, Dwyer said.
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Listen to San Jose police audio recording of Amber Alert.
