Toddler found wandering next to road after man steals car in Portland
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — A two-year-old child has been found safe following an abduction reported in northeast Portland early Thursday, according to the Portland Police Bureau.
East Precinct officers responded to the area of Northeast Halsey Street and Northeast 126th Avenue just before 7:30 a.m. following reports of a car stolen with the girl inside.
Police say little Thora was sitting in a car warming up when a suspect described as a young man wearing a beanie jumped in and drove off.
Will Stevens, Thora’s father said, “I came running out of the house and got to them – just stood right in front of the house here – opened the door, and yelled that there was a kid in the car a couple of times, but I wasn’t able to reach in and grab a hold of him or anything.”
Police say a short time later, near Northeast San Rafael Street and Northeast 113th Avenue, someone spotted a car driving recklessly.
Moments later, Danielle Tran was driving by when she spotted Thora walking down the street alone.
“I stop, hazards on, get out of the car, and she stopped too, so I just opened my arms, and I’m like, ‘I’ll help you come here!’ She came to me, she was saying, ‘I want my mommy,’ she was crying,” Tran said. “I’m just glad I got her, me and not somebody else, because I don’t know what anybody else would do, I’m hoping they would do the right thing.”
Thora has since been reunited with her parents.
“We got her back home and she was eager to start playing with her toys when she got back, so we’re hoping it was just a cold, scary moment this morning for her,” Stevens said. “We’re thankful that she wasn’t out of our sights for more than 10 or 15 minutes, that was the scariest 10 or 15 minutes obviously ever… Very, very relieved, and thankful and concerned for her because she did look so sort of cold and distressed.”
Shortly after 7 p.m. on Thursday, police announced they had found the stolen Subaru Outback in the area of Southeast Morrison Terrace and Southeast 202nd Avenue in Gresham. The car will be searched for evidence.
The suspect was not in the car or nearby, and is still wanted by PPB detectives. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Michael Greenlee at michael.greenlee@police.portlandoregon.gov .
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