Father claims cab driver abducted, sexually assaulted his 1-year-old

OAK PARK, MIch. (WJBK) -
A cab driver takes off with someone's baby still inside the car and a father thinks he had devious intentions based on what a doctor found after the fact.

It all happened Friday afternoon, a mother took her two kids on a cab ride from Detroit to Oak Park. As she unloaded her bag and 3-year-old son, the cabbie took off with the woman's 1-year-old daughter still in the backseat.

"She's screaming 'Baby in the car' she's chasing him down the street," said E.L. Parks, the baby's father.

But the cab driver from Checker Cab never stopped and this 1-year-old girl was alone with him for upwards of 90 minutes. According to Oak Park Police the driver claims he did not know the little girl was in his backseat

"There's no way possible you're not going to know there is a baby flopping around in your backseat for an hour and a half," Parks said.

Parks said when the driver finally got her back to her mother, they noticed she smelled like hand sanitizer.

"Why would my child have rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer unless he was trying to cover something up," Parks said.

Their suspicions were cemented at Children’s Hospital.

"They said that my daughter has a rectal tear," Parks said. "A rectal tear and she's only 1 year old.

FOX 2: "How did they say that happened?"

"They said possible penetration," Parks said.

Parks says Oak Park police neither detained nor questioned the driver after they first caught up with him.

"We tried to explain to him that we have protocol, evidence and facts that we have to gather," said Steve Cooper, director of public safety, Oak Park. "Before we just take somebody into custody.

"I guess (Parks) indicated we weren't taking it as seriously as he thought we were laissez faire with it, but that's not the case."

FOX 2: "Is it policy (for the cab driver) to check the backseat before taking off?"

"I really couldn't tell you what their policy is for that particular cab company," Cooper said.

FOX 2: "Is it something he should have done?

"It does not sound that unreasonable especially as a precautionary measure," Cooper said.

Cooper says two detectives were called in from home to work the case and stayed on for hours investigating.

Parks says he wants answers and justice.

"I want him off the streets and in jail, period," Parks said. "You are not going to get away with touching my kid."

Police did not say if the driver is submitting his DNA for testing, but they are collecting all the evidence in this investigation and will turn it over to the prosecutor's office. The cab driver is said to be investigating while Checker Cab had no comment.