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'Never think it's going to happen to you:' 3-year-old kidnapped, abandoned after Coweta car is stolen

The car was taken while the mom was at a Texaco station just off of Interstate 85.

A 3-year-old girl and her dog have been reunited with their mom after a scary incident Sunday. 

The two were taken during a car theft at a gas station in Coweta County late Nov. 18. They were dropped off a short time later, just a few miles down the road. 

Twenty-one-year-old Sydny Anglin told Coweta County deputies that the red 2014 Volkswagen Beetle had been taken from a gas pump at a Texaco station on Raymond Hill Road, just off of Interstate 85 shortly before 10 p.m. Her daughter and dog were inside the car.

A witness told deputies she saw a young black male wearing a green shirt and sagging jeans that showed his underwear, getting into the Beetle and driving off.

The witness said she took Anglin in her car and gave chase to try to catch up with the Beetle. They pulled over a short time later to wait for deputies.

11Alive's Ashley Johnson spoke to Anglin, who explained that everything happened in the blink of an eye. 

"It just happened so fast," she said. "I literally ran in and when I turned around to look for the pump number, my car was gone and according to surveillance, he watched when I got in the door and decided to slide through and take my car."

"When I had realize he had taken off, I ran outside, and it was panic mode," she added.

Anglin said her biggest fear was that the suspect would wreck, hurting her daughter Sophia and the newest addition to the family - an 8-week-old puppy.

After a short while, deputies informed Anglin that Fairburn Police said her daughter and her dog had been dropped off at a RaceTrac station just off of I-85 at Georgia 138. The suspect is still on the run.

"When I walked in, she was like, 'Mommy!' but she was fine," Anglin said. "She hasn't asked any questions, I think it was a good distraction having the dog. 

Anglin said she hopes every parent uses this as a lesson. 

"You just don't think about it happening, and you hear about it on the news, but you never think it's going to happen to you, and when it does, it's like panic mode," she said. "Never take a chance. Always take your kids inside with you."

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