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Phone app helps police find 9-year-old in backseat of stolen car

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Posted at 11:44 AM, Apr 11, 2022
and last updated 2022-04-11 16:55:07-04

A dramatic rescue by Atlanta officers and Georgia State Patrol was caught on body camera video.

It began moments earlier when police say the child's mother pulled into a parking spot at a Goodwill store and left the car running. That's when police say a man jumped in the driver's seat and took off.

The woman quickly tracked her child's location in the stolen vehicle using the Find My iPhone app. 

From there, a chopper and several officers joined in on the hunt. Within minutes, police located the stolen car and used a PIT maneuver to cause the vehicle to crash. 

With guns drawn, officers took the suspect into custody.

An officer ran toward the 9-year-old boy to assure him that he was safe.

Officials with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children say that last year there were 34 Amber Alerts issued on carjackings where a child was involved.

It's not clear whether the suspect knew the boy was in the backseat. However, he is still facing charges of kidnapping, cruelty towards children, and theft.

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