San Francisco police located and arrested the second suspect in the carjacking and kidnapping of a DoorDash driver's minivan with two small children inside.
The February 6 kidnapping made widespread headlines two weekends ago after an Amber Alert went out for the missing 4-year-old, Winnifred, and 1-year-old, Sean, after their father Jeffrey Fang left his vehicle idling while he made a delivery in Pacific Heights. Fang said he tried to struggle with one suspect, the driver of the vehicle, after finding him in the driver's seat, before he drove off with the kids still buckled in back.
The minivan and the two children were found safe four and a half hours later in the Bayview, and the SFPD arrested one suspect, 25-year-old Erlin Romero, on February 9 on suspicion of two counts of kidnapping, first-degree robbery, car theft, and other charges.
Now, as NBC Bay Area reports, police say they've arrested a second suspect, 27-year-old German Morazan, whom they located in the Bayview on Wednesday afternoon near the intersection of Crisp Road and Quesada Avenue. He's been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, child endangerment, auto theft, robbery, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, and conspiracy.
"The San Francisco Police Department would like to acknowledge and thank the public for their concern for the wellbeing of the children," the SFPD said in a statement. "Information regarding the abduction was shared quickly on social media and it was apparent that residents of San Francisco were actively looking for the van and sharing information."
It's unclear what role each suspect played in the crimes, and charges are still pending against Morazan.
Romero, who was wearing an ankle monitor pertaining to two crimes he allegedly committed last year, was arraigned on February 11 and a judge permitted him to be released on bail.
SF Supervisor Catherine Stefani, who represents Pacific Heights, told KPIX last week that she holds District Attorney Chesa Boudin partly to blame for allowing criminals back on the streets to reoffend.
"The DA is responsible for public safety in the city and he has to own that. All I hear is, ‘It’s the police’s fault, probation’s fault, parole’s fault, CHP’s fault,'" Stefani said, perhaps referring to this case or this case in which criminals already charged with crimes in the last year now stand accused of new and worse crimes while they were back on the street. "But he has to take personal responsibility and look at how to make people safer in the city."
Stefani added, "People are scared; really scared. They are moving because of this. [Criminals] reoffend and reoffend, then commit a big enough crime to prosecute because it’s in the spotlight."
In response, Boudin tells KPIX, "I don’t think finger-pointing is helpful. We’re all working together — or at least we’re supposed to be — to keep SF safe. I sure hope Stefani will ensure my office has the funding we need to get back to the same staffing levels we had in 2019."
The investigation into the February 6 carjacking and kidnapping is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD 24-hour tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin your message with SFPD.
Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
