Toddler found wandering parking lot after car is stolen with her inside, TX cops say

A mother in Texas got quite a scare after her car was stolen early Tuesday with her 2-year-old daughter sleeping inside, police say.

Johnnel McQueen was parked outside at Houston laundromat just after 3 a.m., KPRC reported. Her toddler was asleep, so McQueen left the girl in the backseat with the car running to go inside to put some clothes in the dryer, according to the outlet.

She’d only been gone two minutes when the car was stolen, KPRC reported.

“She was sleeping in the car. That’s the only reason I left her in the car,” McQueen told KTRK. “I could see the car from the inside, so that’s what made me come out.”

McQueen said she saw a car that looked like hers pulling out of the parking lot and ran to the door, but she was blocked at the door by someone who asked to use her charger, KHOU reported. Once she got around him, the car was already speeding away, according to the outlet.

Police received a call for help around 3:25 a.m., according to KTRK. They said the person who stole the car most likely didn’t know there was a child inside.

The girl was ultimately found wandering unharmed around the parking lot, KPRC reported.

“If you are going to leave your keys in the car, lock the door,” McQueen told KHOU. “Or whatever just don’t do it. It just happens in the blink of an eye.”

Police later found the car abandoned, KTRK reported.

Officials say they’re looking for a woman who they believe drove off in the car and two men who are accused of causing a distraction inside the laundromat, KHOU reported.

This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 6:47 AM with the headline "Toddler found wandering parking lot after car is stolen with her inside, TX cops say."