Court Hearing For SJ Mom Charged With Stealing Car, Baby Inside


A San Jose woman who has been charged with kidnapping after she  stole a car with an 11-month-old girl inside is scheduled to appear in court  for a plea hearing Monday morning.

Karla Belen Hernandez, 23, was arrested April 12 in connection  with the March 25 incident, according to police.

The child, Gabriella Quintero, was taken at about 6:30 a.m. after  her mother briefly left her unattended in a 2006 Jeep Liberty outside their  home in the 2300 block of Amador Court in East San Jose, police said.

The mother, Graciella Quintero, had been warming up the vehicle  with the baby inside. She left momentarily to close her garage door, leaving  the key in the ignition, and when she came back she saw her car being driven  away with the infant inside, police said.

It is not clear whether Hernandez knew there was a baby in the  backseat. The baby was found safe inside the abandoned Jeep around 11:22 a.m.  about four miles to the south, in the 400 block of Amargosa Court in San  Jose.

Hernandez was identified as a suspect after police released a  sketch the day after the alleged kidnapping, but police said witnesses and  physical evidence also tied her to the crime.

Hernandez faces charges including kidnapping, child endangerment  and auto theft.
   
 

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