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Family reacts to arrest of man who stole car with baby inside
Josh Cascio reports
VALRICO, Fla. - Nearly one month after a one-year-old was abducted from a Valrico neighborhood – and quickly reunited with her family – deputies say they found the suspect involved.
Sheriff Chad Chronister announced Wednesday they arrested 26-year-old Rashad Mann on kidnapping charges.
On Feb. 16, the 13-month-girl was sleeping in the back of her family’s SUV when Mann entered the unlocked vehicle, which was running, and drove away with her inside.
Booking image for Rashad Lamont Mann
It prompted a statewide AMBER Alert.
Within three hours, the child was reunited with her parents after the SUV was found with the little girl still inside.
At the time, the sheriff said the girl’s mother was helping her own mother-in-law unload the SUV after shopping and chose to leave the sleeping child in the car as they unloaded.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Valrico baby found safe after SUV stolen; suspect still on the run
On Wednesday, Sheriff Chronister said deputies were investigating several daytime burglaries when they were on surveillance monitoring a white Nissan. Mann, along with another man, were spotted inside the vehicle. Both were arrested.
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Parents relieved after abducted baby found
A 13-month-old girl who was inside an SUV that was stolen from a Valrico neighborhood Tuesday afternoon was reunited with her family after the vehicle was found abandoned a few miles away.
At that point, deputies said they noticed physical similarities to the suspect in the Feb. 16 kidnapping. DNA was collected and submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to process. It was compared to DNA swabs collected from the stolen SUV.
On Monday, the results showed Mann's DNA matches with the evidence from the family's vehicle.