Child found safe in stolen vehicle

Friday, April 5, 2002 | 11:08 a.m.

A 3-year-old child strapped in a car seat was discovered safe miles from where the car he was in was stolen Thursday afternoon, Metro Police said.

A suspect in the car theft that turned into a kidnapping has not been identified by Metro Police.

Jesus "Baby" Lugo was left in a 1998 Buick Regal driven by his father, Jesus Lugo Sr., at an apartment house at 28th Street and Marlen Avenue, Metro Officer Tirso Dominguez said.

The father returned moments later and found the car gone.

Metro Police saturated the area with patrol cars, and an air search by helicopter was launched.

The car was discovered abandoned in an alley behind the 400 block of South 13th Street in downtown Las Vegas about 4 p.m., more than two hours later. The baby was found in the seat, unharmed. The car thief apparently noticed the child after stealing the car and then ditched the vehicle.

Before Metro Police recovered Jesus, Rosa Lugo, tears streaming down her face, pleaded with the kidnapper to return her child.

"I only want my baby back," she said. "I know you are not a bad person, just leave my baby."

Her husband was so distraught, he slumped next to a Metro patrol car parked outside the apartment house.

"I want my baby back, I want my baby back!" he cried again and again as friends led him away.

"This type of incident is very easy to avoid," Dominguez said. "Do what the law says and do not leave your car engine running for obvious reasons."

About two years ago a mother ran into a day care center near Nellis Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue to pick up a child, leaving her other children in a van with the motor running, Dominguez said. Someone stole the van. The children and the van were later recovered.

"The most important thing is finding the child," Dominguez said.

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