San Pablo girl, 2, kidnapped in stolen car is latest in string of incidents
(KRON) — A 2-year-old girl’s terrifying experience with a car thief in San Pablo is one of 24 children nationwide who have been kidnapped while they were left alone in vehicles this year, a safety advocacy group said.
“The mother left the child in the vehicle unattended. That’s when a female suspect jumped in and stole the car. Contrary to what many believe, this is not a rare occurrence,” the group, Kids and Car Safety, wrote.
Every year, the number of children who are kidnapped in stolen cars rises, according to KCS. “Although the victims of these types of incidents typically survive, it is incredibly traumatizing for everyone involved,” the group wrote.
Thieves wait and watch for vehicles to be left with the engine on, or unattended with the keys still inside. It only takes a few seconds for a thief to jump into a vehicle and speed away.
According to the San Pablo Police Department, the 2-year-old girl was inside a vehicle on California Avenue when it was stolen around 1:25 p.m. Monday. The girl’s mother called 911 to report that her daughter and vehicle were missing.
Surveillance cameras recorded a woman stealing the vehicle. “Officers flooded the surrounding neighborhoods. Within 20-minutes, Richmond police located the vehicle with the child unharmed near Barrett Avenue and Hayes Street,” SPPD wrote.
Police reunited the girl with her mother. The accused car thief and kidnapper was identified as 35-year-old Joy Taueetia of Oakland.
After finding the girl and car, officers were able to continue tracking Taueetia because she took the victim’s cellphone with her, SPPD said. The cellphone pinged in Oakland on Martin Luther King Avenue, and officers spotted Taueetia getting into yet another stolen vehicle.
“Officers observed the suspect accompanied by … two unidentified females entering a white 2016 Hyundai Tucson. Officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and it immediately fled. Officers engaged in a short pursuit before the suspects fled from the vehicle on foot,” San Pablo police wrote.
Officers ran after the women down East 1th Street in Oakland. Police detained Taueetia and the two other women evaded arrest, police said. Investigators determined that the second vehicle, a Hyundai, was stolen in Hayward on March 3.
Taueetia was booked into a Contra Costa County Jail on suspicion of vehicle theft and kidnapping. San Pablo police wrote, “Investigators are still determining if any other suspects were involved in this crime.” Anyone with information is encouraged to call detectives at 510-215-3150.
In January, a toddler was kidnapped by a car thief next to Oakland Coliseum, dropped off alone in San Leandro, and found by a good Samaritan who spotted the 2-year-old boy wandering alone.
“Thankfully, the child was found a short time later, unharmed, wandering the streets near a warehouse. The mother and child were reunited after callers reported seeing the child dropped off and left alone,” the Marin County Sheriff’s Office wrote. The stolen car was found hours later ditched in a parking lot in Mill Valley.
Kids and Car Safety said all parents and caregivers can help prevent future kidnappings by never leaving a child alone in a vehicle — not even for a moment. In 2023, 162 children were kidnapped by car thieves nationwide.
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