Suburban men arrested for carjacking pregnant woman, child taken during attack

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2 arrested for carjacking pregnant woman, child taken during attack in Libertyville

Two 19-year-old men from the suburbs have been charged in connection with the 2023 violent carjacking of a pregnant woman in Libertyville, according to the Lake County Sheriffs Office.

Two 19-year-old men from the suburbs have been charged in connection with the 2023 violent carjacking of a pregnant woman in Libertyville, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

During the incident, the woman’s two-year-old son, who was in the backseat, was also taken.

The investigation spanned several months, and detectives followed dozens of leads.

They reviewed hours of surveillance footage, physical evidence and cellular tower data as well as conducted interviews with witnesses and persons of interest.

The investigation eventually led to the identification of two 17-year-old boys — one from Waukegan and the other from Lindenhurst — as suspects. 

Now 19, both are in custody on unrelated charges.

As the offenders were juveniles at the time of the crime, they were referred to the juvenile court system on charges of aggravated vehicular hijacking and vehicular hijacking. 

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said it is working to have the case transferred to adult court. 

Details of the carjacking

In February 2023, Taylor Shepherd returned to her home in the 16000 block of Route 137 in Libertyville and pulled into her driveway. 

According to the sheriff's office, she took one of her children inside and, when she returned to her car to retrieve her other child, a white BMW drove into her driveway behind her.

A man exited the passenger side of the BMW and struggled to enter Shepherd’s Volkswagen. 

He then battered Shepherd, who was five months pregnant at the time, knocking her to the ground. 

The man stole her car with her two-year-old son inside, and both he and the BMW driver fled the scene. 

As they drove away, one of the vehicles ran over Shepherd.

"[Shepherd] did everything she could to try to stop this person from stealing her car," said Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff's Office at the time of the carjacking. "She was struck by one of the two vehicles as they were fleeing, she was fortunately not seriously injured. However, both vehicles fled; her vehicle had her two-year-old son in back in a child seat."

A short time later, a business employee in the 2200 block of Lakeside Drive in Waukegan called 911, reporting that two vehicles had entered the parking lot and one driver abandoned a small child. 

The caller rescued the child before they could wander onto a busy roadway.

Sheriff's deputies later found the stolen Volkswagen in a parking lot near Casimir Pulaski and Route 43. 

Covelli noted that the carjacking appeared to be a random act.

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Mom delivers healthy baby

Shepherd delivered a healthy baby boy, Noah Collin, on June 26, 2023, three months after the carjacking. 

Shepherd posted on her GoFundMe page that, following the carjacking, she underwent at least two surgeries for her injuries, which made her recovery challenging.

Response to the charges

Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg and State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart emphasized that the charges were the result of a collaborative effort to secure justice for Shepherd and her family.

"When this crime occurred, nearly every division of the sheriff’s office was involved in trying to locate the child and identify the offenders.  Our detectives continued the investigation, working tirelessly, with the state’s attorney’s office, to hold the offenders accountable and provide the initial steps of justice for the victims.  Complex investigations like these require time and precision to ensure justice is served and I am very proud of everyone involved in this investigation," said Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.

"The thorough and determined work of our prosecutors, in collaboration with sheriff’s detectives, reflects our commitment to holding violent offenders accountable. This long-term investigation demonstrates the dedication of our office to pursuing justice for victims and ensuring that those responsible for such heinous acts are brought to justice. We will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our community," said State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart.

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Illinois family files lawsuit against Volkswagen for GPS withholding in carjacking ordeal

A terrifying carjacking and kidnapping in Libertyville earlier this year was made even worse when the carmaker refused to provide GPS tracking information to police.

Lawsuit against Volkswagen

Shepherd and her family filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen in November 2023, claiming the company failed to assist in the life-or-death situation.

After Shepherd was badly injured during the carjacking, she crawled down the driveway to call 911. The sheriff's office contacted Volkswagen, which provides a Car-Net app allowing users to track their cars and turn off engines remotely.

However, the Volkswagen representative said that Shepherd’s service expired and allegedly refused to provide GPS information unless a $150 fee was paid.

"They said, 'Do you have the app on your phone through Volkswagen?' And I said, 'Yes, I have that," recalled Shepherd.

That's the Volkswagen Car-Net app, which allows users to track their car and even turn off the engine remotely. 

But when Lake County Sheriff's deputies called Volkswagen and explained the kidnapping, the representative said Taylor's service had expired and refused to provide the GPS information unless they received $150.

Eventually, Shepherd's father gave the Volkswagen representative a credit card and paid the bill to unlock the information. But by then, Isaiah had been found wandering near a parking lot in Waukegan, and the stolen car was found abandoned a few miles away.

The family said they were suing Volkswagen and the Car-Net service, saying it should never happen to another family.

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