Mom Of Tot Left Behind In Botched LA Car Theft Arrested on Unrelated Kidnapping Charge: LAPD

LOS ANGELES, CA — The mother of a toddler who was found left behind in a car along with a dog following what police described as an unsuccessful auto theft has been arrested, authorities said Wednesday.

The incident occurred in Highland Park on Sunday morning, where a man reported that another man had tried to steal his vehicle before fleeing on foot. The victim then found a child and a dog in his car, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Authorities were unable to locate the suspect, nor were they able to identify the child or dog. There were no reports of missing children matching the boy's description, prompting police on Monday to ask for the public's help finding the boy's parents.

The 1 ½-year-old boy's mother, 19-year-old Bianca Slaughter of Los Angeles, was arrested on Wednesday and booked on an unspecified felony charge, the LAPD said Wednesday.

Fox 11 reported that Slaughter was arrested Wednesday on a kidnapping charge unrelated to the incident with her child. The charge stems from accusations of the kidnapping of an adult and is gang-related, according to the station.

The boy will remain in the care of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services "until he can be placed in safe environment," police said.

Authorities have not yet identified the dog's owner. The animal remains in the care of LA County Animal Services, police said. Authorities previously said the dog "appeared familiar with the child."

Fox 11 interviewed the man who found the child and dog in his car. He recounted confronting the suspect during the incident.

"I confronted him and asked what he was doing in my car, and he said a dog was trying to attack him," he said.

Witnesses told the station that the suspect used baby wipes to clean his fingerprints off the car seat before running away.