A Chula Vista man pleaded not guilty to multiple charges after allegedly stealing a car, only to call in and confess to the crime when he turned around and realized an 18-month-old baby was sleeping in the back seat.
Steven Luna, 25, is charged with child cruelty, car theft, possession of stolen property, and being under the influence of a controlled substance Wednesday. He is also facing a probation violation on domestic violence charges from an unrelated case.
Police say Luna stole a keyless entry 2009 Nissan Maxima from the Days Inn parking lot on E Street, just south of Downtown San Diego.
The mother told NBC 7 San Diego that she was checking in to the motel with a friend around 11:40 p.m. Wednesday and left her son in the car. When she came outside, the car was driving out of the parking lot.
Nearly an hour later, someone called National City Police to report a baby in the black of a Nissan on K Avenue.
The toddler was found inside the vehicle still secured in his car seat and unharmed, police said.
The mother said while she waited the 45 minutes for the car to be found, she feared the worst – imagining the suspect would drive into Mexico.
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Police said Luna later admitted to stealing the car. He told officers that he called police after he noticed the sleeping child.
Luna remains behind bars. His bail was set at $110,000 for a probation violation and the current charges.
