'He screamed': Boy in stolen car knew it wasn't mum driving
"(My son) was standing in the middle car park screaming, balling his eyes out."
Coffs Harbour
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A GLADSTONE mother is relieved her son and puppy were found safe after her car was stolen with the two still inside the vehicle at the time.
The woman, who cannot be named as her child is an alleged victim of a crime, said shock did not begin to describe how she felt when she realised her car had been stolen with her four-year-old son and puppy inside on Friday night.
The mother-of-four said she and her other family members were at hockey fields at on Dawson Rd at 10pm, while her two younger children sat waiting in the car.
She said it was her daughter who discovered the car had been taken with her son and puppy still inside.
The mother said she was overcome with relief at hearing her son had been found in the carpark of McDonald's on Glenlyon Rd about 10.15pm that night.
"(My son) was standing in the middle car park screaming, balling his eyes out," she said.
Police allege the car was found abandoned on Matson Crescent just after 1am with the puppy still inside.
"Shocked doesn't feel like a strong enough word, I felt dizzy, I felt my whole body shaking," the mother said.
"Even once my son was returned back relief comes over but I still felt like I was going to be sick."
She said her son knew straight away it wasn't his parents driving the car.
"He said he cried and screamed the whole time he was in there," she said.
Despite the traumatic situation, she was thankful to all of the community members who helped during the incident.
"A huge thanks again and and appreciation to the police," she said.
"They've acted quickly and it's worked out really well."
On Saturday afternoon police charged a 35-year-old man and 22-year-old woman with one count each of abduction of a child under 16, endangering children by exposure and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The woman will appear in Gladstone Magistrates Court today and the man on August 13.
Originally published as 'He screamed': Boy in stolen car knew it wasn't mum driving
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