An 11-year-old with autism and a 4-year-old are safe Thursday night after two people stole a car from a woman in Raleigh.
WRAL tracked down court documents that claim 23-year-old Chardazha Alston and 23-year-old Mateo Medina are accused of stealing a black Mazda and taking the two children.
According to a statement from Raleigh police, the 4-year-old is the child of one of the suspects.
Officers responded to a reported carjacking around 10 p.m. at the Food Lion near the intersection of New Bern Avenue and Trawick Road.
When they arrived, they found one woman injured. She was later taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Officers charged Alston with one felony count each of larceny of a motor vehicle and first degree kidnapping, and one misdemeanor count of simple assault after Alston reportedly punched the woman while trying to steal her Mazda.
Medina was also charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, first degree kidnapping and assault on a female.
Police told WRAL News that the carjacking was “domestic” and the suspects drove off with a 4-year-old and an 11-year-old with autism in the back seat of the car.
According to the arrest warrant, the 11-year-old was not released by Alston in a safe place, but the child was found safe. It is unclear if the child was harmed or not.
It is also not clear if the 4-year-old who belonged to one of the suspects was with the two before they stole the woman’s car.
Police later located the car and arrested the suspects. It is unclear where police found the suspects and the stolen car.
Both Alston and Medina are expected in court for their first hearing Friday at 1:30 p.m.