GALVESTON, TX (KTRK/CNN) - A Texas man headed to buy some fast food found an abandoned baby on the way.
"I saw this baby seat sitting in the middle of the parking lot and I thought it looked a little odd," said Stephen Ward, who called police and snapped a photo.
He posted the image to Facebook, leaving everyone to wonder how in the world the baby ended up in the middle of parking lot alone.
"I was shocked," Ward said.
Galveston police said the baby's parents were making trips back and forth from their vehicle on Monday night.
"Someone jumped in the car and took off," said Sgt. Xavier Hancock, an officer with the Galveston Police Department.
The 4-year-old was still inside.
"The perpetrator realized that there was a child in the backseat - found a well-lit area to place the child," said Hancock.
The suspect placed the child in a church parking lot, where Ward found the baby after leaving to pick up dinner.
"I almost didn't go down that way, almost went straight home but something told me to go down there," Ward said.
It was dark and slightly cold when he noticed the car seat on the ground.
"The baby had a blanket on and had a bottle and was just content sitting in the parking lot," said Ward.
He called police and the mystery baby was reunited with her parents.
"I just happened to be at the right place at the right time," Ward said.
As Tuesday night, the car and suspect are still nowhere to be found.
"We understand that household chores can be taxing. But we would caution you again to not leave your child in the car even momentarily because things like this can happen," said Hancock.
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