PINE BLUFF -- A woman dropping off her infant daughter at day care while taking her son to school Tuesday morning had her car stolen with the boy still inside the vehicle, according to Pine Bluff police.
Caterrica Brown had just taken her 1-year-old daughter into Bright Star Day Care at 501 W. Second Ave., about 7 a.m. when she was approached by Marvin Reeves as she returned to her 2008 Dodge Charger, police said.
Reeves, 42, asked for a ride, police said, but before Brown could respond, Reeves jerked Brown out of the vehicle, jumped in and began to drive away with Brown's 6-year-old son in the car, according to a news release from Pine Bluff police public information officer Lt. David DeFoor.
Alisha Sims, director of the Bright Star Day Care, said she wasn't at the day care at the time but received a phone call from workers informing her about what had happened.
"I got a call after 7 a.m. this morning that Ms. Brown had screamed, 'Oh Lord Jesus, my baby,'" Sims said.
Brown was hit in the face and dragged for a short distance before she let go of the vehicle as it drove away, police said. DeFoor said Reeves drove the car about 25 blocks and abandoned it at Broadmoor Plaza Apartments at 2213 E. Seventh Ave.
A resident at the apartment complex saw Reeves exit the car and had a hunch it was stolen, DeFoor said. The resident called police, and Brown's son was found unharmed nearby on Seventh Avenue and Washington streets.
Attempts to reach Brown for comment were unsuccessful.
Reeves was taken into custody without incident, DeFoor said. Brown's purse and its contents were located near the apartments, police said.
Reeves was booked into the county jail and faces charges of robbery, kidnapping and second-degree battery, according to reports.
"Carjackings are rare in themselves, and carjackings with a kid in the car are extremely rare," DeFoor said. "It has been a long time -- years -- since the last one in Pine Bluff.
"I've worked here for 15 years, and the only other one I remember during that time, there was a guy who took a car with a baby in the back seat he didn't know about."
Sims said Brown was still upset when she returned to pick up her daughter Tuesday afternoon. Brown's right arm was in a sling, Sims said.
State Desk on 09/14/2016