Man accused of stealing car with infant inside facing felony charges

Chicago police say 38-year-old Jeremy Ochoa, a Bridgeport resident, has been charged with one felony count of aggravated hijacking of a vehicle with a passenger under 16 and aggravated kidnapping of a victim under 13.

The charges stem from an alleged carjacking that officers said unfolded just before 10 a.m. Thursday at a gas station in the 1200 block of South Independence Boulevard, in North Lawndale.

According to police, the victims, a 36-year-old woman and a 7-month-old girl, were at a gas station when Ochoa allegedly approached the woman before getting into her car and driving off with the child in the backseat.

Members of CPD’s Vehicular Hijacking Task Force caught up with Ochoa in Woodlawn, less than two hours after the alleged theft.

After locating Ochoa and the little girl, officers said the child was taken to the hospital for observation.

Authorities have not provided an update on the condition of the child.

Ochoa appeared in court Saturday for a detention hearing.