12-26-2023 4:06pm

Stolen Car Found With 7-Year-Old Sleeping In Back Seat Outside Riverhead Store

Samantha Hespos Editor

Riverhead Stationary in Riverhead

At approximately 11 p.m. on Monday, December 25, a concerning incident transpired in Riverhead on East Main Street. The details reveal a pivotal moment, sparking attention and prompting further investigation into the events of that night.

According to Riverhead Town Police, the 39-year-old Selden woman left her Ford Fusion running with the heat on outside the Riverhead Stationary store while her 7-year-old child slept in the back seat during the incident.

During her time inside the store, an unauthorized individual seized the opportunity and entered the vehicle, subsequently driving off with the child still present in the back seat.

The incident triggered an extensive response from the Riverhead and Southampton police departments, alongside New York State Police troopers, underlining the urgency and gravity of the situation.

Officers successfully located the car approximately four miles away in Flanders, bringing a resolution to the concerning situation.

Police reported that the child, still peacefully sleeping in the back seat, remained unharmed during the entire incident.

Despite efforts from a Suffolk County Police K-9 unit conducting a thorough search of the area, they were unable to locate a suspect involved in the incident.

In response to the incident, police arrested the Selden woman on suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child. To safeguard the child's identity, her name was not disclosed.