Man Accused Of Stealing SUV With Boy, 2, Still Inside, Attacking His Pregnant Mother Charged In Adult Court

LIBERTYVILLE, IL — A man accused of attacking a pregnant woman and then stealing her sport utility vehicle while her young child was still inside it has been charged as an adult in Lake County Circuit Court.

Devion M. Washington, who was 17 years old at the time of the attack and hijacking at a home near Libertyville in 2023, was initially charged as a juvenile. In recent months, the Lake County State's Attorney's Office re-filed his case in adult court.

Washington, who is now 20 years old, has been charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking of a child passenger, vehicular hijacking and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. He also faces murder charges in a separate case.

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Washington and another man, who was also 17 years old at the time of the crime, are accused of attacking 34-year-old Taylor Shepherd in her driveway in the 16000 block of Route 137 in unincorporated Libertyville in February 2023.

Shepherd had just parked her 2021 Volkswagen Atlas in her driveway and briefly went into her home with one of her children while her other child, a 2-year-old, remained in the vehicle. She returned to retrieve her other child and found a white BMW had pulled into her driveway behind her car, authorities said.

A man got out of the BMW, and Shepherd tried to protect her young son, but the man beat her, knocking her to the ground, and then stole the car with her child still inside, running over Shepherd as they fled, according to police.

Shepherd called 911 and deputies responded immediately, police said. They searched the area and contacted Volkswagen Car-Net, which is a service that can track Volkswagen vehicles, which eventually lead to police being able to locate the stolen Volkswagen.

The 2-year-old boy was abandoned a short time later in a parking lot at a business in the 2200 block of Lakeside Drive in Waukegan by the suspect, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office. A person at the business came to the child's aid and was able to bring him to safety before he wandered onto a nearby busy roadway, police said.

The Good Samaritan called police and deputies were able to reunite the boy with his mom.

“When this crime occurred, nearly every division of the sheriff’s office was involved in trying to locate the child and identify the offenders. Our detectives continued the investigation, working tirelessly, with the state’s attorney’s office, to hold the offenders accountable and provide the initial steps of justice for the victims," Lake County Sheriff John Idelburg said in a statement Thursday. "Complex investigations like these require time and precision to ensure justice is served, and I am very proud of everyone involved in this investigation.”

Shepherd, who was 6 months pregnant, sustained serious injuries in the attack. She did later give birth to a child who was healthy and is thriving, according to media reports.

Earlier this year, authorities announced the arrest of Washington and another defendant in the case. At the time, both were referred to juvenile court as prosecutors worked to have the charges transferred to adult court.

Less than four months after the vehicular hijacking, Washington and a second suspect are accused of opening fire at a group of people standing in front of an apartment in the 500 block of South Genesee Street in Waukegan. Prosecutors said an 18-year-old man died in the shooting, the Lake & McHenry County Scanner is reporting.

“This incident happened less than 4 months after the carjacking. These two violent incidents within a short period of time prove that the defendant is dangerous,” Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeffery Facklam told the Lake & McHenry County Scanner.

Washington has been ordered to remain detained as his court proceedings move forward in the vehicular hijacking.

Patch.com reached out to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office to find out if the other defendant in the vehicular hijacking case has been charged as an adult as well, but has not yet heard back.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

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