Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 3

Atlanta Police Rescue 2-Year-Old From Stolen Car in 15 Minutes, Arrest 21-Year-Old Saleem Martin

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Aug 3

Atlanta Police Rescue 2-Year-Old From Stolen Car in 15 Minutes, Arrest 21-Year-Old Saleem Martin

Q: The suspect claimed he didn't know the child was in the car, so why did he throw away an iPad to avoid tracking?

His statement appears inconsistent, and that contradiction is likely why investigators treated the case seriously. According to the arrest warrant cited by local media, Saleem Martin allegedly told investigators he threw an iPad from the stolen car because he believed it could be used to track him. That detail undercuts, at least on its face, his claim that he did not realize a 2-year-old was in the back seat until after he drove away. If he was actively trying to avoid being located, it suggests he knew the theft could quickly trigger a search and was taking steps to evade recovery of the vehicle. That does not by itself prove when he became aware of the child. A person stealing a car might also discard an electronic device simply to avoid the owner using “Find My” or another tracking tool, regardless of whether a child was inside. But in this case, police and prosecutors would likely view the alleged iPad disposal as evidence of consciousness of guilt and an effort to prevent the vehicle from being found. Other reported details deepen that concern. The warrant says the toddler later told her mother, “the man did it,” and officers allegedly found Martin with both hands on the child, which he said was an attempt to calm her. Those facts do not resolve his claim, but they give investigators additional reasons to scrutinize it. Ultimately, only a full investigation and court proceedings can determine whether his explanation is credible.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 3

Atlanta police said officers found a stolen car and rescued a 2-year-old girl within 15 minutes after her mother reported the vehicle taken with the child still inside.
License plate readers led the Auto Crimes Enforcement Unit to the car after the mother, who had left it running while delivering an Instacart order, called 911 in panic.
Body-camera video shows officers surrounding the vehicle, ordering driver Saleem Martin out, handcuffing him and then confirming over the radio that the child was safe.
Martin, 21, faces kidnapping, theft by taking, cruelty to children and other charges; police said the toddler was unharmed and reunited with her parents.
An arrest warrant cited by 11Alive says the mother later noticed the girl's dress unbuttoned, prompting a Special Victims Unit investigation into Martin's alleged contact with the child.