A man was charged last night with withholding information about a car theft in Lisburn, Co Antrim, during which a 16-month-old baby was hurled from the moving vehicle.
The 22-year-old was detained by detectives investigating the incident which took place on Saturday in a supermarket car park.
The baby's father had earlier been beaten and had part of his ear bitten off.
The arrested man was also charged with two counts of driving while disqualified, two of driving without insurance and one of dangerous driving. Police said those charges were not related to the incident. He is expected to appear at Lisburn Magistrates Court today.
The baby had been sleeping in the back of his father's Ford Focus when it was stolen.
As the thieves sped from the car park, they tossed the child out. Despite this the child was unhurt.
The baby's father had earlier challenged the men when he spotted them trying to steal another car. Another man had his car rammed when he tried to use it to block the thieves' way through the car park exit.
The stolen car was later found burned out in Poleglass on the western outskirts of Belfast.
Chief Supt Ken Henning, the PSNI district commander for Lisburn, said police had a good response from the public. "That young baby could well have been hit by another car. People like this who are prepared to commit crimes like this have absolutely no thought, no regard for anybody, for anybody's safety."
The child was reunited with his mother after the incident, while his father was taken to hospital where his injuries were treated. - (PA)