INDIANAPOLIS — It was the most agonizing night of Paige Shugars' life.
"I was completely terrified, not knowing if I'd ever see my kid again," she said.
Shugars was dropping off a child she babysits on West Washington Street just after 7:30 Tuesday night. She said she left her 7-month-old child, Jackson, in the car, but told a friend outside to watch him. Shugars said that friend went in the house instead, taking their eyes off the car.
"I ran inside, I set this little girl down, kissed her head. Told her, 'Bye, I'll see you tomorrow.' I wasn't in there more than a minute and I come out and this lady has vanished with my car," said Shugars.
She said she panicked, but called police moments after realizing her car was gone.
Then, she said, she drove to her grandmother's house on Morgan Street three miles away while on the phone with police.
"That's my grandma's address," said Shugars. "That's where I found my husband and my oldest son and I needed to inform him what was going on."
IMPD said they responded to the Morgan Street address, not the home where the child was abducted on Washington Street.
"There was a slight delay," said IMPD Lt. Shane Foley. "Approximately 15 minutes, we were able to determine, from the time the vehicle was taken until IMPD officers were dispatched and responded."
Shugars said she was disappointed with IMPD's search efforts and claims she was taken to the ground and injured by officers outside her grandmother's home.
"My whole arm is swollen, I can hardly move it," said Shugars. "My husband literally told them, 'She's pregnant. You cannot put her on the ground.' They still put me on the ground in shackles and handcuffs."
IMPD said they don't have any information on that incident.
Shugars wasn't placed under arrest and was reunited with her son around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cloverleaf Apartments on the west side.
"As a mother, as soon as I step in the back of the ambulance and see my boy and see his eyes get real big and light up, it was the best feeling in the world that I found my boy," said Shugar.
Police are still searching for a suspect and ask anyone with information reach out to them.