Beaumont — A young boy is safe tonight after an auto thief stole an SUV while the child was still inside and drove from Nederland to Beaumont, where he abandoned the child and SUV but was quickly caught.

Nederland Police Chief Rod Carroll tells KFDM the mother of the three-year-old boy went to a gas station tonight near Nederland Avenue and Highway 69.

Chief Carroll says the suspect was in the store, and when the mother walked outside, she realized her Dodge Nitro van was gone, with her child still in the vehicle.

Police put out an alert for an aggravated kidnapping suspect, and the vehicle was spotted through the Real-Time Crime Center’s camera network.

At the same time, Beaumont PD received a call about a child who walked up to a home in the 1100 block of Campus and knocked on the door.

The homeowner called 911.

Carroll says the child is okay.

Officers received information the vehicle was at Cardinal Square Apartments, 1280 Saxe Street in Beaumont.

They recovered the van and arrested the suspect.

He’s facing charges of Aggravated Kidnapping, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Child Endangerment, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and Theft of a Firearm.

Carroll isn’t releasing the suspect’s name, but the jail roster lists Steve Ray Williams, 44, booked Tuesday night on those charges.

Carroll credits assistance from BPD, the Real-Time Crime Center, and all law enforcement agencies.

He reminds everyone not to leave vehicles running in parking lots or outside of homes, giving criminals an opportunity to steal.

STATEMENT FROM NEDERLAND POLICE CHIEF ROD CARROLL:

On Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 6:31 PM the Nederland Police Department received a call of an Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle with a 3-year-old child in the vehicle that had just occurred at the Chevron Station at Nederland Ave and Hwy 69. Units were immediately dispatched. Upon arrival officers were able to determine a vehicle description, license plate number and a description of the suspect. This information was immediately given to all surrounding law enforcement agencies. The information was relayed to the Beaumont PD Real Time Crime Center. With the assistance of the Real Time Crime Center a hit on the license plate was located within the City of Beaumont within minutes of the kidnapping.

Beaumont PD immediately saturated the area. The child was located in the 1100 of Campus Street in Beaumont where he was dropped off. The suspect then drove the vehicle to an apartment complex in the 1100 block of Saxe Street. Beaumont PD located the vehicle in the apartment complex. During the investigation at the apartment complex, a suspect was located and detained. He was transported to the Jefferson County Correctional Facility. He was booked in on the following charges:

Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle

Aggravated Kidnapping

Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Child Endangerment

Theft of a Firearm

The suspect’s name is being with-held at this time pending bond.

The Nederland Police Department would like to thank all the law enforcement agencies involved in the recovery of the child including Beaumont PD, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and especially the Real Time Crime Center.

The Nederland Police Department would like to remind everyone not to leave their vehicles running in parking lots or residences as this gives criminals opportunities.