A late-night incident outside a downtown fast-food restaurant has moved into the courtroom after a 25-year-old man pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing a mother’s car with her two young children inside. Police said the mid-December incident ended with both children found unharmed in the street. The defendant, identified as Antoney Higgins, remains in custody as the case continues.
Police say he drove off with the children inside
According to First Alert 4, officers responded to the 1000 block of North Tucker after a mother reported that she had briefly stepped out of her vehicle to grab a straw when a man in a blue hooded sweatshirt got into her car and drove away. Her two children, about 1 and 4 years old, were still inside the vehicle.
While officers were on their way, a security officer alerted dispatch that two small children were in the street near North Tucker and Cole. The mother told investigators she grabbed the car door handle and urged the driver to release her children, but he reportedly continued driving.
Plea entered and March hearing scheduled
As reported by FOX2, Higgins pleaded not guilty on Feb. 5 and is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on March 5, 2026. Court filings cited by the station list several charges, including first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, stealing $750 or more, two counts of child kidnapping, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The charges were filed after investigators reviewed probable-cause evidence connected to the incident.
Video and witness accounts under review
Investigators said footage from the city’s real-time crime center shows the suspect stopping the vehicle at North Tucker and Cole, removing the children from the car and leaving them in the middle of the street before driving away. Officers later found the abandoned vehicle near Cass Avenue and Parnell Street.
Staff at the nearby Biddle House told detectives they recognized the man on their surveillance footage. Police also reported that the mother’s phone was later found in a dumpster in the area. Officers arrested a man wearing clothing that matched what was seen in the video.
Legal outlook
Higgins is being held without bond as prosecutors prepare for the March hearing and decide whether to pursue all of the charges. His not-guilty plea formally denies the allegations but does not end the case.
If convicted on the kidnapping and child endangerment charges, Higgins could face significant prison time under Missouri law. The Circuit Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Next steps
The March 5 hearing will allow a judge to review the charges and evidence prosecutors have collected so far. Police are asking anyone with information or surveillance footage from that night to contact the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department or CrimeStoppers as the investigation continues.
