RENTON, Wash. — A 5-year-old girl at the center of an AMBER Alert in Renton Wednesday was found safe and reunited with her family after a suspect stole the car the girl was in and drove it about five miles before ditching the vehicle in SeaTac and taking off, police said.
The suspect has still not been found.
The Renton Police Department issued the AMBER Alert after the car the girl was in at a Safeway parking lot at 200 South 3rd Street was stolen. Police said the girl's father is a food delivery driver and had left the car running while he got out to make a delivery.
The car, a 2019 gray Toyota CHR, was found in SeaTac around 2:30 p.m., police said. A customer of a chiropractic business nearby noticed the car with a child inside crying -- the customer told the business owner, who then called 911, police said.
"It was a little surreal," said Steven Watson, who owns the chiropractic business. "I have daughters myself so, we brought her in, she was so brave it almost didn’t seem real. Then when we called the police, they showed up and then right after that is when the AMBER Alert hit my phone, so I guess it was already going on there for a little while before we knew."
KING 5’s helicopter flew over the scene in SeaTac where the vehicle was located. Police with the help of K-9 officers searched the area for the suspect, but so far have not located anyone.
Renton police released the below photo of the suspect, who is described as a male, 6 feet tall and 225 pounds.
If you see him or have any information, call 911.
