A situation that could have spiraled into a parent's worst nightmare was averted in Gainesville, where an 18-year-old man is now in custody following the theft of a vehicle with an 8-year-old child inside. The Gainesville Police Department apprehended Ashon Isaiah Fussell, after he allegedly stole a car from a CVS pharmacy on Jesse Jewel Parkway on July 7. According to a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta, the child was discovered unharmed a short distance away from the scene.
Kevin Holbrook of the Gainesville Police relayed that a parent had briefly left the child in their vehicle to step into the store. Within a mere three minutes, they returned to an empty space where their car had been. Following the theft, the Police, as told AccessWDUN, located the car less than a half mile from the scene with the child safely inside near the intersection of E.E. Butler Parkway and College Avenue. Ashon Isaiah Fussell was arrested the next day and charged with kidnapping, theft of a motor vehicle, and shoplifting.
Fussell is currently being held at the Hall County Jail without bond. His shoplifting charge stems from allegedly stealing less than $10 worth of items, including a drink and some chips, from the CVS prior to taking the vehicle. "It's believed that he shoplifted a drink as well as some chips. I know it was less than $10 worth," Holbrook conveyed in an interview with AccessWDUN.
While expressing relief over the safe recovery of the child, authorities are mindful of the potential dangers of such events. "It's very fortunate that the child was found safely, but this could have been a very different outcome," warned Holbread, as stated in AccessWDUN. The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be provided as they become available.
