Three small children were in the car when a vehicle was carjacked in Bartow over the weekend, but have since been recovered safely, police say.
The incident started at 222 W. Ethelene St. in Bartow on Sunday evening a little before 8 p.m. Police say the family was about to go out. The father was inside the residence and the mother had strapped the kids in, then was getting into the driver's side door when a man pointed a handgun at her and told her to get out.
That suspect and another suspect got in the car and drove off in the stolen 2011 Kia Sorrento.
As officers were searching the area, dispatch received a call saying two of the children were located in the roadway in a residential area nearby. A second call revealed the third child was left at another location. The three kids were safely picked up. Fortunately, all three children and the mother were not harmed in the incident.
The stolen vehicle was later recovered by Tampa PD near Nebraska Ave. and Columbus Dr.
The suspects are described as two light-skinned black males, weighing about 130 pounds and last seen wearing camo masks.
Tampa PD were able to locate one of them, Deshawn Newland, and charge him with Armed Carjacking, Kidnapping (3 counts), Child Endangerment (3 counts), Discharging a Firearm/Public, and Violation of Probation after he was positively identified by the victim.
One suspect has still not been caught though. If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Detective Fender at 863-534-5041 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-8477.
