LAPLACE — A Donaldsonville man was arrested Friday, accused of stealing a vehicle in LaPlace that had a 5-year-old boy inside.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre said a 42-year-old female told deputies she parked her car at Fred’s at 1:43 pm with the keys in the ignition and her 5-year-old godson unattended in the car.

“She was in the store a few minutes, and when she returned from the store, she saw that the car and child were gone,” Tregre said in a release. “She called 911 for assistance. A witness gave the victim a description of a male subject who had stolen the car.”

Deputies found the car on Parish Road near Elm Street in LaPlace and the 5-year-old boy who was unharmed and safe. Authorities said the child “was visibly shaken but physically OK.”

“The child provided deputies with a description of a man who had taken the car,” Tregre said.

Deputies located the suspect in the Winn-Dixie grocery store and identified him as Travis Wilson, 34, of Donaldsonville. Deputies arrested Wilson and booked him with theft of a motor vehicle and aggravated kidnapping of a child.

He bonded out of jail Saturday on a $27,500 bond.

Tregre said the investigation is ongoing, adding detectives want to talk with the witness at Fred’s who gave the victim the description of the perpetrator and all witnesses that have information regarding the incident.

Detectives can be reached at 985-359-8769 or the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS.