POLICE are still appealing one year after a carjacking where a four-week-old baby was taken from her mother shocked the nation.
Birmingham mum, Clare O’Neill, was injured when thieves stole her Audi A3 with her baby daughter Eliza still inside.
Ms O’Neill arrived home to Marie Drive, Acocks Green, around 4pm on Thursday, July 19 last year when two men demanded the keys to her car as she was getting Eliza out of the car.
Despite frantically trying to her baby out of the vehicle, the thieves drove off with Eliza running Clare over in the process and leaving her with nasty injuries.
Fortunately Eliza was found by a security guard having been left at a health centre in Small Heath 45 minutes later, still in her car seat and luckily unharmed.
She was reunited with her traumatised mother a short time later in hospital.
A year on, Clare is still coming to terms with the attack. She said: “Eliza will be 13 months old on Saturday.
“She’s a beautiful, happy, engaging and active baby.
“We count our blessings every day that she was returned safely to us.
“I’m still living with my injuries, I am visibly scarred. My achilles, back and hip hurt on a daily basis.
“My teeth are still numb and I only have 50 per cent sensation in my elbow. I also still can’t fully bend one of my fingers.
“I live with the anxiety that it could happen again and first thing I do when I get in my car is lock it and the first thing I do when I get out is get Eliza out.
“I find it shocking and distressing to know they willingly took such a small baby from its mother for a car.”
Detective chief inspector Jim Munro, from force CID, said: “A year has passed since this terrifying incident, but our determination to get justice for Clare and her family is as strong as ever.
“Clare’s car was recovered and a forensic examination was carried out, however no arrests have been made so far.
“If anyone knows who was responsible for this shocking crime please do the right thing and get in touch.”
Anyone with information is asked contact police via Live Chat at www.west-midlands.pnn.police.uk between 8am and midnight or call police on 101 anytime.
To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, tell them what you know and not who you are.
