"Help Me. I'm Cold": 3-year-old Dropped Off by Carjacker

**Whisper** · April 17th, 2012, 06:40 PM

3-year-old knocks on stranger's door after being dropped off by carjacker

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A Colorado Springs father is thankful to have his son in his arms after his car was stolen with the toddler inside on Sunday.

Police say at around 2 a.m. Anthony Pettiford stepped out of his running vehicle to greet some friends in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven on South Hancock Avenue.

"We were 2-3 feet in front of the car and two guys came out of 7-Eleven and one jumped in his car," said witness Kim Rayford.

That is when she heard the boy's father scream for his son.

Pettiford and other bystanders attempted to chase after the car, but were not able to reach it in time.

Several minutes later the boy was dropped off by the suspect at a residential area near the gas station. He was left with a plastic bag containing some of his belongings.

"We opened the door and there's a 3-year-old standing there holding a bag and he says "Help me. I'm cold," said Traci Gilbert, who found the child after he ran her doorbell. "The little boy was completely calm."

"I need help. I want to find my daddy," the toddler told Gilbert.

According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, Gilbert's adult son drove the boy around the area, hoping to find his house. While looking for the home her son was able to flag down a police officer who was searching for the missing child nearby.

The boy was quickly reunited with his father uninjured.
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http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/...,7933752.story

**AngelFire** · April 17th, 2012, 06:53 PM

"I need help. I want to find my daddy," the toddler told Gilbert.

Oh the sweet baby.

**Bohring** · April 17th, 2012, 07:09 PM

7-11 at 2am? Man, I can't count how many times one of us has made the last minute dash to our local 7-11 for beer before the cut-off. Alas, I never took my son with me.

**Tundratot** · April 17th, 2012, 08:29 PM

The time was not good, but maybe there was no one to leave with the child, so . . . Could also have been a diaper run, I suppose.

**VXIII** · April 17th, 2012, 11:47 PM

And they gave the little boy his belongings, glad it turned out so well with him being safe instead of dissapeared.

**Silvahalo** · April 17th, 2012, 11:54 PM

"We opened the door and there's a 3-year-old standing there holding a bag and he says "Help me. I'm cold," said Traci Gilbert, who found the child after he ran her doorbell. "The little boy was completely calm."

"I need help. I want to find my daddy," the toddler told Gilbert.

What a smart little boy for his years and so calm given the situation. Give him a hug and lollipop...kisses, kisses.

I thought I was going to read he was holding a bag of dope.
No, but that's the kinder-kiddo's threads with real bright parents.
Glad the assholes didn't do something worse than how it ended.

**TKaz** · April 18th, 2012, 10:47 AM

I almost wondered if the carjackers told him to say that. Like they rehearsed it so they knew he'd have a chance at being safe? I could see two scared carjackers freaking about a kidnapping charge & telling him to go to a house & say you're cold & need help.

Maybe I'm being too generous with mankind. :P

**carolinablue** · April 18th, 2012, 10:59 AM

Well, the perps are lousy thieving carjackers, but at least they're not child killers/abusers. They even dropped him off in a residential neighborhood and gave him his stuff. They could have killed him, hurt him or shoved him out on the side of a road in the dark, but they didn't. Of course, they could've been pros; professional thieves just want the goods, no rough stuff if they can avoid it.

It's a damned shame when I have to think that carjackers have hearts. OK, put them in jail, but don't beat them with nail studded baseball bats.

**Entitlementcow** · April 18th, 2012, 11:26 AM

So rare that you read a good outcome on this site. Thank heavens he was ok and not too terrified.

**Silvahalo** · April 19th, 2012, 03:17 PM

3yo Royalty Pettiford reunited with family. . .Traci Gilbert visits.

Gilbert said Monday she is still amazed that the toddler made it up 14 slick steps to her front door on the second floor of a duplex, carrying a plastic bag that held a container of soy milk, a Sippy cup, two diapers, wipes and pajama bottoms.
She believes the car thief picked her home because it was near the store where the car was stolen. The temperature was in the 30s and the weather was alternating between sleet and snow.

really good----> VIDEO
Such a cute little boy.