'Supergirl' car theft escape youngster praised by police

A 12-year-old has been dubbed "supergirl" for throwing herself from a moving car after it was stolen with her 11-month-old brother inside.

The baby, who was found alive and well on a doorstep around three miles away, was left inside the vehicle with his sister while his mother popped into a shop on the way to a wedding.

The dramatic ordeal was captured on CCTV and shows the youngster throwing herself from the stolen car in an act of "bravery".

After barging past the thief to escape she then ran inside the shop and alerted her stepmother, who started screaming: "Where's my baby, my baby?"

The incident happened when the 27-year-old woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, parked her three-door Vauxhall Astra in Kempe Road, Enfield, north London at around 12.45pm on Saturday.

An unknown man took off in the car before leaving the baby on the doorstep of a young couple in Guinevere Gardens, Cheshunt, north London.

They alerted police before changing his nappy and giving him some water.

On hearing her son had been found, the mother said: "I didn't believe it until I saw his face and we held him in our arms.

"I'm so thankful to the family that found him, thank you isn't enough."

The woman's husband said they had become "friends for life" with the couple, who attended the baby's first birthday party a day after the ordeal.

He said he had taken to calling his daughter "supergirl" for her dramatic escape.

"I couldn't believe how she just jumped out of the car. The instant she hits the floor she is up running. That saved minutes and that made a huge difference because everyone was so responsive from that point," said the proud father.

The schoolgirl is receiving counselling, and her stepmother said she was "praying" it doesn't affect her in the future.

Detective Inspector Chris Rixon said the girl was "very, very brave".

He added: "This was a two-door car and she would have had to force her way past the thief and open the passenger door whilst the vehicle was being driven away. And that has taken great courage and we would very much like to praise her bravery."

Asked what she would say to the man - who is still at large - the mother said: "He has ruined our lives, my life. Our lives will never be the same again."

But she continued: "In a sickening way I am kind of grateful to him for his decision that he made to leave him (the baby) by the block of flats."

The car was later recovered by police but the woman said she had not been able to drive it since.

She also warned other parents to never leave their children in the car "even for a split-second", and praised the "amazing" police response.

Officers are appealing for the suspect to hand himself in. He is described as a white, in his late teens and with light spiky hair. He was possibly wearing a hooded top.