No family or friends stepped forward Wednesday to identify or be reunited with a toddler abandoned along with a dog inside a car during an attempted auto theft in the Highland Park area.
The Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services published the child’s photograph and implored the public for help finding his family so that they can be reunited, but those efforts have produced no leads.
LAPD officers responded around 9:55 a.m. Sunday to the 300 block of North Avenue 52 after a car owner reported a man tried to steal his vehicle before fleeing the area on foot.
The owner then found a child and a dog inside his vehicle, according to the LAPD.
Details about the child were limited.
Family services social workers responded to the scene to take the little boy into custody.
Detectives searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect.
“Efforts to identify the child through all available means have been unsuccessful, and no custodial parent or family member has contacted the police to locate the child,” according an LAPD statement released Tuesday.
An update on the status of the investigation was not immediately available, an LAPD spokesman said Wednesday.
The child was described as a medium-complexion boy with curly brown hair, wearing a light gray quarter-zip sweater.
According to police, the dog appeared familiar with the child. The canine was taken into the custody of Los Angeles County Animal Services.
Anyone with information regarding the child, his family, or any additional details about the attempted theft and the suspect was urged to contact the LAPD Northeast Division at 323-561-3211 or Detective Ryan Lamar by email at 39284@lapd.online.
The DCFS Hotline can be reached at 800-540-4000. Calls made during non-business hours or weekends should be directed to 877-527-3247. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or visit lacrimestoppers.org.