Police say the thief left the SUV near the Springs Rescue Mission; investigators are still looking for a suspect.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A 2-year-old taken with a stolen Kia Seltos on the city’s west side Tuesday afternoon was found safe less than two hours later near downtown, police said, as body-camera video released Wednesday showed the tense moment officers opened the rear door and carried the crying child to safety.
The case spanned neighborhoods and screens. It began in the 2700 block of King Street around 2:43 p.m., when the SUV was reported stolen with the child in back. Within an hour, the Colorado Springs Police Department had pushed out an Amber Alert after posting the details on social media. Commanders pulled traffic cameras, license plate readers and body-worn camera feeds into the Real Time Crime Center. Analysts and the chief of police watched as units combed alleys and lots. Just before 5 p.m., officers reported the Kia abandoned near the Springs Rescue Mission and confirmed the boy was unharmed.
Doorbell footage obtained by local media captured the SUV driving off as a woman yelled that her child was inside. A neighbor called the theft “pretty bold” for the middle of the day. In Wednesday’s release, Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said he was in the Real Time Crime Center when an officer found the child. “It was absolutely a relief,” Vasquez said, describing the moment they saw the boy lifted from the back seat. Medics checked the child on scene and reunited him with family. Police did not report injuries, and a tow truck hauled the Kia for forensic processing while detectives began a broader canvass downtown.
Investigators said a 2021 black Kia Seltos was the vehicle taken from King Street, a residential stretch on the west side. The Amber Alert sequence unfolded in roughly 20 minutes—from an internal notice around 4:30 p.m. to the public alert shortly after 4:50 p.m.—as officers verified details and coordinated with state partners. A drone unit was also dispatched as a first responder to survey rooftops and side streets. Police credited the integrated camera network and license plate readers for narrowing search zones. The department is now asking anyone who was near King Street or the downtown mission corridor between 2:40 and 5 p.m. to share video with detectives.
No arrest had been announced by Wednesday afternoon, and police said they were not yet releasing a suspect description. Detectives will review fingerprints and any DNA recovered from the abandoned SUV and are collecting surveillance clips from nearby businesses. If a suspect is identified, the case would move to the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office for charging decisions in El Paso County. Potential counts could include felony auto theft and second-degree kidnapping; formal charges will depend on evidence and identification. Officials plan to provide an update later this week as lab work and interviews progress.
On King Street, neighbors described a sudden, stunned quiet after the SUV accelerated away. “Whether they thought the kid was in the car or not, that’s pretty bold,” said resident Karen Logan, who watched the doorbell clip with others on the block. In the video released by police, an officer whispers to colleagues before saying the child is inside, then lifts the toddler out and carries him toward a patrol car. The boy’s father told reporters the family was “beyond relieved” and was still processing the afternoon’s events as relatives gathered at home.
As of Wednesday evening, the child was home and the Kia remained in police custody for evidence work. The next expected development is an investigative update or a suspect announcement later this week, depending on video review and lab results.
Author note: Last updated January 23, 2026.