# A Man Stole A Car With Kids Inside, So The Dad And Bystanders Beat Him To Death, Cops Say



## Leeda.the.Paladin (Jul 12, 2019)

PHILADELPHIA (Gray News) - If not for heavy traffic, 54-year-old Eric Hood might have gotten away with a carjacking Thursday night.

Around 9 p.m., a mother of three pulled up outside of a Philadelphia pizza shop. She left the car running with her 7-month-old and 1- and 5-year-old children still inside while she went to see their father, who works at the restaurant.

Police told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Hood stole the Hyundai, prompting the couple to take off running behind it. Crowded roads allowed mom and dad to chase down the car and yank him from the driver’s seat.

Hood escaped their wrath, but not for long. He only got about a half block away before dad ran him down again.


The father began beating Hood. Onlookers saw what was happening and joined in.

They left Hood unconscious and suffering from injuries that later proved to be fatal. Paramedics rushed him to Temple University Hospital, but it was too late to save his life.

The mom and dad stayed at the scene until detectives took them in for questioning.


District Attorney Larry Krasner told local media it was too early to comment on any potential charges, but authorities are using footage from a nearby surveillance camera to search for the other men involved in the beating.


“We are working on finding out who these other men were that also assaulted the individual that subsequently died. We are trying to find out who those individuals are,” Chief Inspector Scott Small told KYW.


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## rabs77 (Jul 12, 2019)

Lord knows what would have happened to those poor kids if he had gotten away. Where is that shrugs meme?


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## LostInAdream (Jul 12, 2019)

Sad story. Kids, especially under 4 years old should not be left in running cars period. Daddy is going to jail.


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## Everything Zen (Jul 12, 2019)

I love Philly even more now than ever. It’s my new home away from Chicago for work.


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## meka72 (Jul 12, 2019)

I’m having a hard time mustering any sympathy for the thief.


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## LeftRightRepeat (Jul 13, 2019)

damn.  dad's  probably going to jail.


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## Everything Zen (Jul 13, 2019)

LeftRightRepeat said:


> damn.  dad's  probably going to jail.



I have faith in the jury


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## RocStar (Jul 13, 2019)

Leeda.the.Paladin said:


> *Around 9 p.m., a mother of three pulled up outside of a Philadelphia pizza shop. She left the car running with her 7-month-old and 1- and 5-year-old children still inside while she went to see their father, who works at the restaurant.*



This mom should be charged for child neglect for leaving her kids in the car like that.


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## Black Ambrosia (Jul 13, 2019)

RocStar said:


> This mom should be charged for child neglect for leaving her kids in the car like that.


No offense but I think this is out of touch with the reality of having young kids. She’s not dragging her three kids out of the car. At least one was probably sleeping. If she’d turned off the car and locked it to make sure it wasn’t jacked then we’d be talking about hot cars and child safety. 

The only real option was the guy coming out to the car. Most likely she’s left the car running and made quick stops with the car in view before and this is the first time something crazy has happened.


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## RocStar (Jul 13, 2019)

Black Ambrosia said:


> *No offense but I think this is out of touch with the reality of having young kids*. She’s not dragging her three kids out of the car. At least one was probably sleeping. If she’d turned off the car and locked it to make sure it wasn’t jacked then we’d be talking about hot cars and child safety.
> 
> The only real option was the guy coming out to the car. Most likely she’s left the car running and made quick stops with the car in view before and this is the first time something crazy has happened.



It may be out of touch, but in many states it is against the law.  I personally would never leave my kids (under a certain age) in the car for even a minute.  Yes it sucks to drag them all out of the car, but I will take inconvenience over ease for the safety of my kids.


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## TracyNicole (Jul 13, 2019)

He got what he deserved. 54 years old engaging it that kind of foolishness? Also, as a parent of young children I’m sickened by our entire country. We do not value our old or young and parenting has become a perverse exercise in self harm. Parenting is policed to toxic levels when the real problem is that we have so many sick people running around free as birds.


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## Leeda.the.Paladin (Jul 13, 2019)

Black Ambrosia said:


> No offense but I think this is out of touch with the reality of having young kids. She’s not dragging her three kids out of the car. At least one was probably sleeping. If she’d turned off the car and locked it to make sure it wasn’t jacked then we’d be talking about hot cars and child safety.
> 
> The only real option was the guy coming out to the car. Most likely she’s left the car running and made quick stops with the car in view before and this is the first time something crazy has happened.


I disagree. There have been way too many stories about kids being left “just for a minute” in a car and the car being carjacked or one of the kids taking off the parking brake, etc. 

We had a boy taken during a car jacking a few years ago and they found him dead hours later. There was a story not long ago of a kid messing with the parking brake and the car went into a pond, killing some of the kids. It’s just too dangerous. 

Yes it SUCKS taking kids into the store and I have one of the wildest children on this planet, but I drag his little butt into the store. 

And @RocStar is right. It’s illegal in some states to leave kids of a certain age in the car, even if you’re nearby. 

I’m not blaming the mother in the story, because I totally understand, but I dont think it’s out of touch with reality to say that children shouldn’t be left in a vehicle.


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## LeftRightRepeat (Jul 13, 2019)

I’m all for live and let live but I don’t condone people leaving their kids in locked or unlocked cars.  The father should have come outside


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## Kanky (Jul 13, 2019)

I personally wouldn’t leave my kids in a running car but I don’t think that the mother should be charged. Even in states where it is a crime they often exclude situations where the car is in your direct line of sight. Otherwise anyone who pumped gas while the kids waited in the car would be a criminal.


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## Theresamonet (Jul 13, 2019)

Pennsylvania is a “stand your ground” state. I think that should cover the father. Now mom might be in trouble for leaving the kids in a running car.


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## Laela (Jul 13, 2019)

54 year old going around stealing cars. Letting that sink it.
I'm just glad the kids are OK!


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## BillsBackerz67 (Jul 14, 2019)

LeftRightRepeat said:


> I’m all for live and let live but I don’t condone people leaving their kids in locked or unlocked cars.  The father should have come outside


I've seen what kids and toddlers are capable of doing In a split second inside a vehicle alone and I'm all set. I def would never do this.


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## secretdiamond (Jul 14, 2019)

I'm sorry I don't think the man deserved to die. What the father did was criminally wrong.  It is not a stand your ground when you go after chasing the man for a whole block/half block then beat him to death, along with other random people. They all should be charged. 

The mother was also WRONG and negligent for leaving her young babies in a running car. smdh.

How do we know the man didn't just see an easy opportunity to steal a running car and then realized kids were in in after the fact?  Given the small amount of time it took between her leaving the car and it being stolen, we can't know if the car was targeted because of kids (pedo) or because he realized someone decided it was a good idea to leave a running car in the middle of PHILLY (car thief). 

I'm really trying to figure out how people are justifying these things here?
That man deserved to be arrested, punched a time or 2 while yanking out the car, sure. But to be ran down after and beaten to death???


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## BillsBackerz67 (Jul 15, 2019)

secretdiamond said:


> I'm sorry I don't think the man deserved to die. What the father did was criminally wrong.  It is not a stand your ground when you go after chasing the man for a whole block/half block then beat him to death, along with other random people. They all should be charged.
> 
> The mother was also WRONG and negligent for leaving her young babies in a running car. smdh.
> 
> ...


Every bad decision has a consequence. That's all I can say.

Actually I have one more thing to say better him dying than crashing the car and killing everybody including  people in other vehicles and pedestrians. In that circumstance they're usually  high or drunk or something ....so meh. The outcome could have been 1000 times worse.


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## prettydarkthing (Jul 15, 2019)

No quotes, please.

I agree with @secretdiamond, beating someone like this is murder, all the people who participated should be tried.

If we say this is okay, then it will open the doors to people using mob mentality as a justification to help kill someone. We know where that can easily go. 

Parents should not leave their kids in cars. People seem more likely to report a dog in a car than to shame parents for doing this with human children. Get a babysitter or bring them wherever you go.


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## Ms. Tarabotti (Jul 15, 2019)

Are most people saying that was all right or that they understand how this could happen?

Yes, everyone involved is guilty of something (not sure why the onlookers got involved - did they know what was up?). It's up to the courts to sort out blame and punishments.


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## Bette Davis Eyes (Jul 15, 2019)

Im paranoid about putting my son in the car at the grocery store and then returning the shopping cart when I'm by myself.

I leave the cart next to the car, put the groceries in, take him and the cart to the return station and bring him back to the car.  I wish they would have mommie spots at the store.

 I have seen others put the child in the car, load the groceries and then walk a few feets to the return station. Nah, not in this day and time.


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## BillsBackerz67 (Jul 15, 2019)

I'm confused...The majority of women in this thread have said that all parties involved do have some responsibility for what happened. I haven't read that he deserved to die.... all we are saying is "oh well"

  Let's keep it a buck if this dude had not stolen the car, it's highly likely that everyone would be alive and well regardless of the children being in the car or not. The moment you CHOSE to engage in criminal activity all bets are off the table as to how an individual will react to that or what your plight will be. So your best bet is not to do it in the first place. I'm not here to advocate or question the outcome for criminal dusties who started mess.


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## GreenEyedJen (Jul 15, 2019)

Everyone is going to be charged--this happened in a Black, poor section of the city. Those kids will be in the system ASAP.


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## Kanky (Jul 15, 2019)

Their children were kidnapped! They saw him driving away and had to literally chase him down on foot to get their kids back. I am sympathetic to the parents. I hope that if they are charged this traumatic experience is considered.


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## intellectualuva (Jul 16, 2019)

BillsBackerz67 said:


> I'm confused...The majority of women in this thread have said that all parties involved do have some responsibility for what happened. I haven't read that he deserved to die.... all we are saying is "oh well"
> 
> Let's keep it a buck if this dude had not stolen the car, it's highly likely that everyone would be alive and well regardless of the children being in the car or not. The moment you CHOSE to engage in criminal activity all bets are off the table as to how an individual will react to that or what your plight will be. So your best bet is not to do it in the first place. I'm not here to advocate or question the outcome for criminal dusties who started mess.



I'm confused as well. I agree with you.

I dont think anyone is saying he "deserves" to die for a non capital crime, but eh *shrug*....or at least I'm going oh well. Now the parents and those bystanders will have to deal with their own consequences. I'm just wondering what the charges will be.

54 years old and jacking cars......smh.


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## Reinventing21 (Jul 16, 2019)

Unless he is mentally challenged or ill off meds or needs some, at 54 I think it is more likely he meant to harm the kids as he probably watched her get out and saw them and I am sure he saw them when he got in. He could have jumped right back out, but nope he pulled off.

Of course he cannot tell us his motivation now.

I think dad should have come out to meet mom knowing she had their kids with her.

I don't know if they intended to kill the man, but the rage and terror at seeing their kids being taken would take precedence over the man"s 'feelings'.


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## Crackers Phinn (Jul 16, 2019)

When you commit a crime you have to be prepared for the consequences of that crime whether you consider it a little crime or a big crime because you bear some responsibility for what comes after you do the deed.

The google tells me it's illegal to leave children under six y.o. unattended in a car.  As a result of mom's crime, her kids were left in harms way when some idiot decided to steal what he thought was an unattended car but again the rule of crime is whatever happens as a result is your fault including a kidnapping charge and/or getting killed while committing a crime.  Fleeing a crime scene is a crime.  Beating a man to death who kidnapped your children may feel good in the moment but that's illegal too.  So every adult involved that's still breathing is going to need a lawyer, although I doubt the parents will be punished too harshly.  

Do I think that the mother is just as guilty as the carjacker? Nope.  Do I think it's a capital offense to leave kids in the car for a few minutes? Nope, but I don't make the law.  I also don't believe she was only gone for a few minutes which is a whole nother issue.


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## Everything Zen (Jul 16, 2019)

^^^ And if I was the dad, I wouldn’t want the mother of my kids coming inside to see me and leaving the kids alone in the car. He sucks to put her and the kids in that situation in the first place. How hard is it to take a break at a pizza joint for 10 minutes to see your family? But I’m asking for too much


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## God_Favor (Jul 18, 2019)

Black Ambrosia said:


> No offense but I think this is out of touch with the reality of having young kids. She’s not dragging her three kids out of the car. At least one was probably sleeping. If she’d turned off the car and locked it to make sure it wasn’t jacked then we’d be talking about hot cars and child safety.
> 
> The only real option was the guy coming out to the car. Most likely she’s left the car running and made quick stops with the car in view before and this is the first time something crazy has happened.




The inconvenience is greatly outweighed by safety. No way could I be ok with knowingly putting my child in any type of danger. 

Dad should’ve made sure he had coverage in restaurant and made a quick run to the car. Or scheduled the visit around his break so that he could’ve came out to the car.


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