A robbery suspect who drove police on a fast-paced chase while carrying his small child in the car has been taken into custody.
As of Thursday, July 18, Fox Los Angeles reported that a male, age 21, who goes by Daiyaan Henderson, is being held by the police.
The event happened after a Wednesday, July 17, armed robbery in Beverly Hills that involved three males, according to the outlet and NBC Los Angeles. Two of the people were taken into custody in South Los Angeles after driving through Hawthorne, but Henderson allegedly stole a Kia vehicle and kept running from the law.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department posted on Facebook, “Today, our deputies from South Los Angeles Sheriff Station and Marina Del Rey Sheriff Station were led on a high-speed pursuit by an armed robbery suspect throughout Los Angeles.”
The statement went on, “The suspect was driving recklessly with his girlfriend and 2-month-old baby inside the vehicle, unbeknownst to the deputies in pursuit.”
Police helicopters were used to watch the pursuit, while Henderson’s live-streamed driving activities added another layer of documentation to the scene.
In the video, his girlfriend could be heard pleading with him to stop the car. In a video that Fox LA was able to obtain, the woman urged off-camera to “pull over and put your hands up.” “Daiyaan, my baby is in the car!”
After “learning of the dire situation, deputies ensured the utmost care and consideration while maintaining their officer safety in the agitated situation,” according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Tony Lomedico, a South Los Angeles deputy, stated that Henderson was “driving like a madman” at a press conference following the arrest.
When the driver came to a dead stop between Shedd Terrace and Wrightcrest Drive in Culver City, the pursuit stopped.
Lomedico went on, “The bad guys use the baby as a shield in situations like this.” And when you see that, it’s such a fantastic example of cowardice that it kind of puts a stop to everything.
“You just can’t put yourself in that position as a father.” Following the chase, South Los Angeles Deputy Adriana Martinez was spotted speaking with reporters and cradling and gently rocking the infant.
During the press conference, the deputy stated, “I just wanted to soothe her because I saw she was just crying.” The 2-month-old was “okay,” she continued, adding that she wanted to be sure and see whether she required “any kind of medical attention.”
The sheriff’s department stated, “We are proud of these deputies, who went from chasing an armed violent suspect to cradling a small child within mere moments and without hesitation.”
Authorities concluded that the baby’s mother had been abducted, but she was not taken into custody.
According to reports, Henderson is being held without bond.
According to PEOPLE, which cited jail records, he was jailed on accusations of felony fleeing and seven felony warrants, including those for kidnapping, carjacking, armed robbery, and ex-felon in possession of a firearm.
The other two males implicated in the Beverly Hills robbery were named as Semaj Lopez, 24, and Michael Smith, 19.