LA police chase: Infant safely recovered, driver taken into custody after hugging woman, child
LOS ANGELES - A wild and bizarre police chase came to an end in Culver City when the driver, who was also streaming the incident on Instagram, handed sheriff's deputies a baby.
The driver, identified by police as 21-year-old Daiyaan Henderson, was wanted for robbery and was taken into custody after a high-speed pursuit through parts of Los Angeles.
The pursuit began in Hawthorne. The suspect then drove to downtown LA, Hyde Park, Inglewood, and Culver City.
The vehicle was seen driving at high speeds on small residential streets.
At one point in Ladera Heights, the vehicle drove over a center median as it attempted to make a left turn.
In Culver City, the suspect drove on the opposite side of the road multiple times and blew through intersections, narrowly dodging other cars.
The pursuit came to an end when the suspect drove to a dead end area at Shedd Terrance and Wrightcrest Dr. in the Blair Hills area of Culver City.
Henderson, with his hands out of the window, surrendered to authorities. But what happened next came as a major shock. A woman in the backseat handed the driver a newborn baby. Henderson was seen embracing the baby then handed her back to the woman. They all exited the car.
Henderson then hugged the woman and baby as she proceeded to walk with the baby towards officers.
Henderson surrendered and was arrested on suspicion of evading arrest, kidnapping and child endangerment. The baby was handed to LASD custody where deputies took turns cradling and holding the baby.
How the chase began
The original robbery he was wanted for occurred in Beverly Hills just before 3 p.m.
According to Beverly Hills Police, two armed suspects confronted a victim as he sat in his car. They forcibly took his property, including a Rolex watch, ring, and iPhone, before fleeing in a vehicle.
That vehicle was spotted in Hawthrone where police attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver fled… initiating the pursuit.
According to Beverly Hills PD, three suspects abandoned their vehicle in the area of 74th Street and Hoover Street in South Los Angeles and fled on foot.
One of the suspects was quickly arrested, while another suspect carjacked a victim.
After a short pursuit, the carjacked victim fled from the vehicle, and the suspect was apprehended.
Later, deputies attempted to stop a vehicle containing a male matching the description of the outstanding suspect, Henderson, leading to another pursuit.
In addition to Henderson, two others were arrested; 24-year-old Semaj Lopez and 19-year-old Michael Smith.
Lopez and Smith were booked for robbery, Henderson was booked for felony evading and seven felony warrants.