SJ Man Repossesses Car With Two-Year-Old Boy In Backseat

Posted: 10:47 pm PST January 13, 2010

Updated: 12:43 am PST January 14, 2010

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A San Jose mother had the scare of her life Tuesday night when her car was repossessed with her two-year-old son inside.

Isabel Leuvano said it was about 7 p.m. when she parked her car in the driveway of her ex-husband's house and stepped out with the engine still running to pick up her daughter. A man suddenly jumped into the car and drove away.

"All we do is hear the car door shut and the car just take off over the curb and just hit the right corner and speed off," said Leuvano. "And I'm freaking out hysterical that this is my son and he's in the car. They just stole my car and the baby."

Police said the man who took the car was Alberto Luna, the owner of used car dealership Alberto Auto in San Jose. Luna told police he repossessed Leuvano's 2000 Honda Accord because she was late with her payment.

Police learned the car had been repossessed 30 minutes after they launched a full-scale search for the child.

Police found the two-year-old boy named Cyrus in the office of the car lot.

"The child was okay," said San Jose Police Sgt. Ronnie Lopez. "We were able to take the mom to the dealership and reunite the mother and the child."

Leuvano was back at the dealership on Wednesday trying to get her car back. She admitted to being 17 days late on her most recent payment because she had just moved into a new apartment and had to pay first and last month's rent. But she also said she talked to the dealership on the phone Monday.

The car dealer had no comment for KTVU, but Leuvano's boyfriend Joseph Rodriguez said they told him that she would have to pay the $285 late payment plus and additional $300 to cover the cost of the repossession.

"Today it seems like it's nothing to them," said Rodriguez. "They're like 'We made a mistake and that's it. Where's our money at and we'll give you your car back.' It's not like 'We're sorry. We can work this out.'"

Police said that while the district attorney will review the case, it doesn't appear any law was broken.

"What we would have liked to have seen is a little bit more professionalism; a little more courtesy," said Sgt. Lopez

Leuvano said she's seeing a lawyer.

"If they do take repossession of a car, they should go through the steps to check the car to see if a child was in there," said Leuvano. "They gave me the biggest scare of my life; I thought I would never see my son again."

Thursday is Cyrus' third birthday. His mother said the lesson she learned is never to let her son out of her sight.

LINK TO VIDEO:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/22232995/detail.html