Two suspects were arrested in Philadelphia after a harrowing incident in which a stolen Nissan Altima was driven off with a 1-year-old girl inside. The incident unfolded on Wednesday, when Delaware police were called to a 7-Eleven on South Gerald Drive in Newark around 5:30 p.m. Officers responded to reports that the vehicle had been left running while the owner briefly stepped away.
According to authorities, a man dressed in a gray hoodie, black jacket, and camo pants exited a dark-colored Nissan Kicks, jumped into the driver’s seat of the running Altima, and sped off, with the child still in the backseat.
By 7:30 p.m., Philadelphia police received a call about a 1-year-old girl being handed over to strangers outside a Fine Wine and Good Spirits store at 2700 North American Street in Philadelphia. Officers quickly brought the child to St. Christopher’s Hospital for evaluation, where she was confirmed to be unharmed.
Meanwhile, police in Philadelphia located the suspect’s vehicle, the Nissan Kicks, and apprehended the two individuals inside—Douglas and Purnell—on unrelated arrest warrants. Investigators later tracked down the stolen Nissan Altima in the Kensington area of Philadelphia.
Both suspects are currently in custody in Pennsylvania, awaiting extradition back to Delaware to face charges related to the stolen vehicle and the child’s abduction.
Authorities have praised the swift actions of police officers in both states and emphasized that the child is now safely returned to her family. The investigation is ongoing as police work to determine the full scope of the suspects’ involvement in the crime.
