Executive Summary
- Officers responded to an attempted grand theft auto in Highland Park on December 28.
- A suspect fled the scene, leaving a 2-year-old child and a dog inside the vehicle.
- The child is currently in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).
- LAPD detectives are seeking public assistance to identify the child and locate his family.
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives and the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) are requesting public assistance to identify a toddler discovered inside a vehicle following an attempted auto theft in the Highland Park neighborhood. Authorities have yet to locate the child’s parents or guardians following the December 28 incident.
According to the LAPD, officers from the Northeast Division responded to a report of an attempted grand theft investigation in the 300 block of North Avenue 52 just before 10 a.m. The victim reported that an unidentified male attempted to steal the vehicle but fled on foot before completing the theft. Following the suspect’s departure, the victim discovered a 2-year-old boy and a dog left behind inside the vehicle. Investigators noted that it remains unclear how the child and the animal entered the vehicle or what their relationship is to the fleeing suspect.
Police searched the surrounding area immediately following the report but were unable to locate the suspect. Consequently, DCFS social workers took custody of the unidentified child. The dog, which appeared to be familiar with the boy, was placed in the care of Los Angeles County Animal Services. As of the latest update, no family members have come forward to claim the child.
The child is described as a 2-year-old male with curly brown hair, wearing a light gray quarter-zip sweater at the time of discovery. Detectives are urging anyone with information regarding the child’s identity to contact the LAPD Northeast Division or the DCFS Hotline.
Investigative Outlook
The discovery of an unaccompanied minor at the scene of an attempted property crime creates a complex investigative track for law enforcement, merging a criminal pursuit with a critical child welfare case. The primary objective for authorities is establishing the identity of the minor to ensure his safety and legal custody status. Simultaneously, detectives must determine if the suspect has a custodial relationship with the child, which could potentially elevate the charges from attempted grand theft to include child endangerment or abandonment. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
