An heartless ex-convict stole a minivan with a 6-month-old boy inside, leaving the mother in shock and fearing for her child’s safety.
Laquana Ruiz, the mother of the infant, was picking up a cake topper for her son’s half-year birthday at a bakery in Mott Haven when Victor Matos, 53, jumped into her vehicle and drove off. Matos, who had recently been released from parole for another car theft, was apprehended quickly, and the baby was found unharmed.
Ruiz had left her friend in the minivan with the baby in the backseat, but both adults stepped out briefly, and Matos took advantage of the opportunity to steal the vehicle. Witness Bennie Valinti reported seeing Matos take some items from the trunk of the minivan before driving off.
After about an hour and 20 minutes, the police caught up to Matos with the baby in a stroller. Matos confessed to the detective that he panicked when he realized there was a child in the back seat and parked the car, without stopping anywhere else.
Matos was charged with kidnapping, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny, and endangering the welfare of a child. He was ordered to be held without bail due to a previous warrant for a car theft incident in The Bronx.
Ruiz is determined to see Matos face severe charges for his actions.
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“I am fully committed to pressing charges,” she stated to The Post.
She also praised the NYPD for their swift action in apprehending the heartless carjacker.
“The police precinct really went above and beyond,” she said. “I told them, if I could hug all of you at once — they found my baby.”
“They performed exceptionally well,” Ruiz continued. “Whenever I speak to others, I make sure to mention that the police precinct and the officers did an outstanding job. They located my baby the same day, in less than two hours. That kind of efficiency is not always seen in every town.”
