- A man is accused of stealing a running car with a baby inside at the Gateway in Salt Lake City.
- Carlos Daniel Castellanos, 23, later allegedly used credit cards from the stolen vehicle.
- He was arrested for investigation of child kidnapping, theft and drug possession; the child was unharmed.
SALT LAKE CITY — A man was arrested over the weekend after police say he stole a car with a baby inside, then later used credit cards found in the vehicle.
Carlos Daniel Castellanos, 23, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Saturday for investigation of child kidnapping, theft, robbery, two counts of unlawful use of a credit card and two counts of drug possession.
The child was found unharmed.
The incident happened about 11 a.m. Thursday in the underground parking structure at the Gateway, 62 S. Rio Grande.
A woman "stepped away" from her car for a minute after starting it and placing her infant child in a car seat in the back. Castellanos was skateboarding in the structure when he came across the vehicle, according to police.
"As Carlos was exiting the garage, he passed the unoccupied running vehicle. Carlos entered the vehicle through the driver's side door and began driving away. (The mother), who was nearby, realized her vehicle was moving and attempted to stop the car," the affidavit states.
Police say the woman "was dragged by the vehicle for several feet," although surveillance video from the parking structure posted on social media shows the mother trying to grab the driver's side door as Castellanos is driving away, and the woman bouncing off the car and falling to the ground.
When Castellanos realized there was a baby in the car, "he stopped the vehicle and yelled for (the mother) to get her child. (She) was able to open the door, get her child out. Carlos then fled with the vehicle," according to the affidavit.
The next day, the woman reported to police that her credit cards, which were in her stolen vehicle, had been used about 2:20 a.m. at a convenience store near 300 East and 400 South. Surveillance video from the store showed the same man who took her vehicle also using her cards, police said.
"The male was also carrying the same skateboard that was used in the car theft. Photos of the suspect were sent to patrol officers," the affidavit states.
About 11:40 p.m. Friday, officers located Castellanos at Taufer Park, 680 S. 300 East, and arrested him.
