Woman Carjacks Vehicle With Young Children Inside; Mother Jumps On Top Of Vehicle To Rescue Children

A New Mexico mother jumped on top of her vehicle as it was being carjacked with her two children inside on July 4.

Video surveillance captured the moment a woman parked her car in front of a store and went inside, leaving her 6-year-old daughter and 11-month-old son inside.

As the mother was returning to her vehicle, a woman shoved her aside and entered her Hyundai Santa Fe.

The woman, later identified as Regina Castillo, drive off with the two young children still inside. In a desperate attempt to save her children, the mother jumped on top of the hood of her vehicle but was unsuccessful.

Hobbs Police Officers responded to the scene and began their search for the stolen vehicle and children.

Traffic cameras caught the moment Castillo dropped off the 6-year-old at an intersection and continued to drive. Shortly after, she abandoned the vehicle and fled from police on foot.

Castillo was found hiding behind a pickup truck in a neighborhood. She was arrested and taken into custody. At the time of her arrest she had three active warrants for her arrest.

She was charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer. She was also charged with two counts of child abuse and resisting/evading or obstructing an officer.

The children were reunited with their mother following the incident.