Baby found safe inside car stolen from Fort Lauderdale laundromat

Amber Alert canceled for 10-month-old Yareli Velasco

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A man jumped into a woman's car outside a Fort Lauderdale laundromat Monday, taking off with her baby, who was still inside, police said.

An employee at LaundroMax said the woman was dropping off laundry in the shopping plaza at 201 W. Sunrise Blvd.

Fort Lauderdale police said she left the car's engine on outside when a man left the laundromat and took off in her car with her 10-month-old daughter, Yareli Velasco, sleeping in the backseat.

The stolen car was later found near McNab Road and Powerline Road with Yareli safe inside.

"It took a long time to find her, but here she is," Yareli's mother told Local 10 News.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a statewide Amber Alert for Yareli. It was later canceled after the baby was found safe.

Police are still looking for the man, believed to be 19 or 20 years old, who stole the car with the child inside.

Anyone with information is asked to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.