Man arrested after stealing car with child inside from hospital

By Mary Alice Royse

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — Metro Nashville Police arrested a man who stole a car Tuesday outside an emergency room.

Metro Police said they placed Antoine Smith Jr., 22, under arrested Tuesday after stealing an SUV parked outside the St. Thomas Hospital emergency room with a nine-year-old asleep in the back seat.

According to authorities, the child’s father had brought a relative to the hospital for emergency care and left the Lincoln Navigator running while he went inside. He came out to see the SUV heading on 20th Avenue toward Charlotte Avenue.

Police said the father ran after the vehicle and saw it turn onto Dr. D.D. Todd Boulevard. He flagged down a police officer resulting in an extensive search.

Officer Zachary Plese spotted the SUV at a church on Hurman Street and then took Smith into custody without incident.

Authorities said that a 9-year-old boy was asleep in the back sea in the cart. Officers caught up with Smith on Herman St and found the child unharmed.

Smith is charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and auto theft. A judicial commissioner set his bond at $47,000.

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