Abandoned Baby Rescued Outside Chicago Church After Shocking Carjacking Incident

A frightening ordeal in Chicago ended with relief and gratitude after a 7-month-old baby was safely rescued from an abandoned car seat near a local church, following a carjacking that briefly separated her from her family.

A Cry for Help on a Sweltering Day

Late last week, as temperatures in Chicago soared into the 90s, Earl Abernathy was driving near Roosevelt Road and Halsted Street on the University of Illinois Chicago campus. His car’s broken air conditioning meant his windows were down—a small detail that proved crucial.

“I heard the baby crying. I threw the hazards on, got out, and ran,” Abernathy said. He discovered the baby girl, slumped over in a car seat, abandoned on the sidewalk in front of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at 813 W. Roosevelt Rd.

“I just felt like it was a bogus situation. Everybody else was riding past,” he added. “I had to stop.”

A Shocking Chain of Events

The 7-month-old had been in the back seat of her family’s vehicle when it was stolen from a BP gas station located at Independence Boulevard and Roosevelt Road in the North Lawndale neighborhood. The suspect, identified by police as Jeremy Ochoa, 38, apparently realized the baby was in the car and decided to abandon her roughly four miles away from the scene of the theft.

Abernathy immediately contacted 911 and began streaming live on Facebook, hoping someone might recognize the child. Unbeknownst to him, the baby’s family was already in a panic.

“We were panicking. We panicked,” said Karen Fuller, the baby’s grandmother. “We didn’t know what was going on, and I just kept praying.”

Reunited and Safe

Fortunately, Abernathy’s quick thinking helped authorities reunite the baby with her family within hours. Fuller expressed her immense gratitude: “I was so happy. I went to his page and thanked him so many times.”

The baby girl was reportedly unharmed and is now home safe with her family. Abernathy, hailed by many as a local hero, brushed off the praise.

“Of course, I’d do it again—anytime,” he said. “It could have ended differently. I’m just glad it ended the way it ended.”

The incident highlights not only the danger of leaving a car running unattended but also the power of one person’s instinct to act in a moment of crisis. In a city often overwhelmed with news of crime and tragedy, Abernathy’s compassion served as a reminder of the good that can still be found.