Toddler from California returns safely to his family after car theft

SUN VALLEY, Calif. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) – A toddler in California was back in his family's arms after his car was stolen from a Ralphs parking lot Friday. Thankfully, the child was unharmed, but the perpetrator is still on the run.

Every parent's worst nightmare. The mother says she secured her son in his car seat, turned on the air conditioning for him and loaded her groceries into the trunk, and then a man took advantage of the situation, got in and drove off with the little boy in the back seat.

But the story has a happy ending.

The recorded video shows the moment when the two-year-old boy meets his father again in the grocery store where he had been taken an hour earlier.

The boy's parents are relieved and so thankful that their son is safe and back in their arms. Their family was with them when they got the little boy back.

This all happened around 1 p.m. as the mother was loading groceries into her car in the parking lot of the Ralphs supermarket in Canyon Plaza at the corner of Laurel Canyon and Roscoe Boulevard.

She says she noticed the man wandering through the parking lot, and before she knew it, he jumped into the front seat of her car and drove away.

The family said they learned shortly afterward that their son had been dropped off just two blocks away on Peoria.

The suspect walked up the driveway of a random house and left the boy in his car seat in the shade.

Apparently, landscapers on the property and people in the house saw the boy and called police. A SkyCal helicopter was overhead and picked up the little boy in his car seat.

The boy was then escorted by police in a car back to the Ralphs store, where his family was waiting anxiously for him.

SkyCal was also seen when the boy was safely returned to his mother.

It was a very emotional reunion, as the mother had tears of joy as she held her son in her arms again. Even the police officer reportedly had tears in his eyes when the family was reunited.

The family, who did not want to appear on camera, said shortly after the reunion that they were just so grateful that this frightening situation had come to an end.

As of now, the family's car has not been returned. The suspect is described as a man wearing grey pants. The family's stolen car is a blue Nissan Rogue.

This could have been a completely different story and everyone is just grateful to be together again now.

The family wanted to make sure that people took what happened to them as a lesson and should be vigilant. They also said that people should always be extra cautious and alert so that no one has to experience what they experienced.

But fortunately, after a terrible ordeal, the little boy is back home with his mom and dad.