MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. – A 5-week-old girl was returned to her mother Thursday after a few terrifying hours.
According to authorities, the baby’s father -- who doesn’t have custody -- broke into the Richmond Township home, took the girl and then fled in a stolen car. Shortly after, police in Madison heights found the child on the sidewalk of an office park.
Read: Dad sneaks under Macomb County home, enters through crawl space, kidnaps 5-week-old girl
According to authorities, a woman called police just before 7:30 a.m. and said her car had been stolen. When Michigan State Police troopers arrived, they were told the woman’s 5-week-old daughter had gone missing. Police said her car was missing from the driveway, but the car of the baby’s father was there.
Police said the father had used the crawl space to enter the home, where he took the baby and then drove nearly an hour to Madison Heights. The baby was discovered in its car seat alone on the sidewalk in Madison Heights just before police in Troy took the father into custody.
Police said they don’t have a motive, but MSP said it appears the father may have had a mental health issue.
“We’re just glad the child was recovered safely,” said Lt. Mike Shaw. “Great work by all the departments to bring it together, because if this would have been fall or winter, leaving a 5-week-old child on the sidewalk could have ended a lot different. We’re glad it didn’t.”
Michigan State Police said they are going to let the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office handle any official charges. If the prosecutor decides it’s a mental health incident, there is the chance of medical care in lieu of criminal charges.
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