A 51-year-old man has been charged over an alleged carjacking near Swan Hill after a seven-month-old baby was found on the side of a highway when the child’s mother stopped to help a man who had allegedly flagged her down.
Victoria Police said the incident happened on the Murray Valley Highway at Beverford, near Swan Hill, about 11.10am on Wednesday, 9 September.
Investigators allege a 36-year-old woman stopped after being flagged down by a man and got out of her Holden Commodore to assist him.
Police allege a struggle then broke out before the man took the vehicle, with the woman’s seven-month-old baby still inside.
The baby was later found by a passing motorist on the side of the highway a short distance away.
The child was not injured.
Police said the mother sustained minor injuries during the incident and was quickly reunited with her baby before both were taken to hospital.
The stolen Holden Commodore was later found abandoned in bushland near Pire Road at Nyah, about 12 kilometres from where the incident began.
Swan Hill Crime Investigation Unit detectives arrested a 51-year-old Swan Hill man several hours later.
He has since been charged with a series of offences, including carjacking, child stealing, reckless conduct endangering serious injury, theft of a motor vehicle and unlawful assault.
Police also charged him with behaving in a grossly offensive manner, criminal damage, unlicensed driving, committing an indictable offence while on bail and contravening a bail condition.
The man was remanded in custody and appeared at Kerang Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
He was further remanded to appear at Mildura Magistrates’ Court on 2 December.
The case has attracted attention because the accused was allegedly already on bail at the time of the incident.
Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has vowed to overhaul the state’s bail laws.
Wilson says repeat offenders and violent accused should face tougher consequences, arguing Victorians are losing confidence in a system that too often allows serious offenders back onto the streets.
Police have not released further details about the circumstances in which the baby was allegedly removed from the vehicle or how long the child was left by the roadside before being found.
The incident has also prompted renewed concern about the risks faced by motorists who stop to assist strangers on isolated roads, particularly in regional areas.
Police have previously urged people who encounter suspicious or potentially dangerous situations to remain cautious and contact emergency services if they feel unsafe.
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