A 44-year-old man has been arrested after police say he stole a vehicle containing a five-month-old baby, abandoned the car and infant outside a Buda emergency room, and then broke into two occupied homes while trying to evade capture.
Alonso Echeverria, of Bastrop, is also accused of a series of vehicle thefts and other offences in Kyle and Buda, Texas.
Five-month-old found unharmed in stolen vehicle
The incident began at about 6pm on August 31, when a vehicle was allegedly taken from the 800 block of Kohlers Crossing in Kyle with the child still inside, according to the Kyle Police Department.
Police said Echeverria drove the vehicle to an emergency department in Buda, where he left both the car and the baby before fleeing on foot. Officers used automated number plate reader technology to locate the vehicle and recovered the infant unharmed before reuniting the child with their family.
Investigators later linked Echeverria to another vehicle theft reported at about 3.30pm in the 4000 block of Cromwell Drive in Kyle.
Kyle officers, Buda police and deputies from the Hays County Sheriff’s Office joined the search. After police shared a description of Echeverria on social media, a tip from a member of the public helped officers find him near an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Cabela’s Drive.
Authorities said Echeverria attempted to avoid arrest by entering two occupied flats before he was taken into custody.
He faces charges including abandoning or endangering a child, theft of property valued between $30,000 and $150,000, tampering with a government record, tampering with physical evidence and evading arrest or detention with previous convictions.
Additional allegations include multiple theft-related offences, criminal mischief and public intoxication. Buda police have also charged him with criminal trespass of a habitation.
Kyle police chief Dr Jeff Barnett said officers were “incredibly grateful” the child had been recovered unharmed, adding that the case demonstrated the value of investigative tools such as automated number plate readers.
Buda police chief Bo Kidd thanked the agencies involved, saying their partnership had helped bring the incident to a safe resolution.
