rearview mirrorA car was recently stolen out of a parking lot in Benseville, Illinois. It sucks, but it isn't the most news-worthy of stories, right? I mean, cars get stolen on a daily basis. But, see, what makes this story unique and awful and completely horrifying is the fact that there was a little 18-month-old girl sitting in her car seat in the back when this happened.

Kimberly Delgado's mom thought it would be a fine idea to run into an apartment building at around 12:40 a.m. and leave her car running in the parking lot -- with her daughter in it. When she came outside and saw that both were missing, understandably, she was horrified. But what happened next is downright shocking.

After an Amber Alert was issued, police found the car -- with the girl still in it -- a few miles away from where it was taken. And she was fine. According to cops, "she was still bundled up" like nothing ever happened.

Wow.

I'm not going to get into the whole leaving your kids in the car unattended thing here, because I think -- I hope -- we're all on the same page. So let's focus on the criminal. And how, when it comes down to it, he can't be the worst person in the world (yes, the alleged thief is being described as a "he", PC police).

Clearly, this man didn't intend or want to kidnap a child here. I'm not justifying this crime at all -- stealing is wrong any way you slice it -- but he saw a running car and took it because it was easy. I don't think he was after more than that. I'm guessing after he saw the adorable, sweet baby girl in the back seat, he had an "oh shit" moment, and just ditched everything.

This man may not be the most scrupulous person in the world, being that he was allegedly attempting grand theft. But he obviously isn't the most unscrupulous either. Thank God.

What do you think of this? Have you ever left your child in your car unattended?

 

Image via daveynin/Flickr