The mother of a four-week-old baby who was caught up in a nightmare car-jacking has spoken about her ordeal for the first time.
Clare O’Neill was left with head, facial and arm injuries as she battled to stop two men driving off with daughter Eliza in the backseat on Thursday afternoon.
They made off in her Audi A3 despite her valiant efforts, but Eliza was thankfully found still in her baby carrier 45 minutes later by an ambulance crew at Small Heath health centre in Birmingham.
O’Neill, who was on Friday pictured in her hospital bed with a bloodied head wound, cradling her baby said: “Eliza is thankfully safe and well, but the people responsible clearly knew she was in my car when it was taken, putting the life of our four-week-old at risk as a result of their personal greed.
“I have now been discharged from hospital and have sustained facial injuries, which include bruising, a broken tooth and severe pain in my right arm.
“This was caused by the wheel of my car running me over whilst I battled to stop my daughter being taken. Due to the injury to my arm I am now unable to hold Eliza for the next four or so weeks.
“I am appealing for people to come forward with any information about who is responsible or behind this. The life of my daughter was endangered by the reckless behaviour of those involved.”
A neighbour visiting the family home said O’Neill’s arm had been driven over and she had been dragged along the road.
Detective Inspector Jim Munro, of West Midlands Police, said: “This incident has shocked the whole of our force area and we will leave no stone unturned in our search for the offenders.
“We have a team of officers trawling through CCTV and speaking to residents in Marie Drive, as well as fast-tracking forensic analysis of the baby seat.
“We are asking anyone who may have seen the grey Audi A3 S-line with registration number BJ66 YLV since yesterday afternoon to contact us.
“We are delighted that mother and baby have been re-united and we wish Clare a speedy recovery.”
Anyone with information should call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.