Missing child found safe, 2 suspects

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A 2-year-old child and a car vanished around 4:00 this afternoon. The child was found safe and a suspect is in custody and there may be another arrest.

Around 4:00 p.m. an orange 2003 Cadillac pulled up to the mini-mart on Main Street in Hartford.

The father popped out to grab some chips and a juice but he apparently left the keys in the car.

It was just a few minutes but the car was stolen with his 2-year-old in the backseat.

Brian Stewart works in the mini-mart and tried to help the father.

"He was very, very, very upset. Very upset. He started calling family and friends as soon as he could," Stewart said.

An amber alert was immediately issued but we're told, when the two suspects realized there was a child in the backseat they drove from Hartford to Bristol where they dropped off the 2-year-old with a friend.

That friend then brought the child to police. It took a few hours but finally, the family drove to Bristol Police Dept. and was reunited with the little one.

One of the suspect's cousins spoke to News 8 pleading his case.

"I'm just here to say that he needs help. I know when he did what he did he was probably under the influence of some type of drug. I don't know what but I think when he came to the realization that the baby was in the car, that's why he dropped the baby off to someone safe. He doesn't need jail time, he just needs help," Kanisha Reyes said.