A couple is feeling frightened and thankful after carjackers stole their vehicle in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, with the couple’s two young children inside.
Lilibeth Garcia tells NBC 5 that seconds felt like hours on the fateful night in the 2100 block of North Lincoln Park on Wednesday.
“When I saw my car driving off and my husband being dragged through the street I was like, ‘what is going on? Where are they taking my kids,’” she said.
According to the family Lilibeth Garcia was finishing an Amazon delivery on a residential street near the Lincoln Park Zoo at approximately 8:05 p.m. Wednesday when a vehicle pulled up behind their SUV and two suspects got out.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
One of the suspects then pulled Garcia’s husband out of the driver’s side seat and took the wheel, speeding away from the scene with her 1-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son still fastened into their car seats in the back.
“It happened in seconds, where I didn’t even know what to do,” she said. “I didn’t know if I should run, what way, try to call 911 or pay attention to my husband because he was hurt.”
Garcia’s husband tried to hang onto the SUV after it was stolen, but ultimately fell to the ground, authorities said.
Local
Within minutes, Chicago police were able to find the SUV just a few blocks away on Stockton, with the children still safely inside.
“The female cop was able to tell me when they found the kids, she was able to open the door and he was crying and screaming, but they were able to calm him down and say ‘hey, your mom and dad are coming don’t worry,’” she said.
The Garcia’s say that they were making Amazon deliveries to earn extra money, but after their harrowing experience they say it’s no longer worth the risk.
“Grateful that my family is okay, and that’s all that matters,” she said.
Chicago police detectives collected evidence, including surveillance video, from the scene. No suspects are in custody, and the investigation remains underway.
