Vehicle stolen while 3 young children wait for mother outside Detroit gas station

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Someone stole a vehicle while a Detroit mother was inside a gas station paying Thursday night.

Jada Hicks left her 10-year-old son, 8-year-old daughter, and baby girl in her locked Jeep as she went into the Citgo near Fenkell and Meyers, a few blocks from her house. While she was inside the gas station, a man broke the Jeep's window with a rock and ordered the children out.

"He said, ‘Get the baby in the car seat and get out of the car now,’" Hicks said. "The whole entire time my son was, 'Mommy, I don't want to die.'"

The children got out of the vehicle as the thief stole it.

"I thank you for letting my kids out of the car because not even a full year ago I lost a child. So, I'm thankful he let my babies out of the car," Hicks said.

While the thief took her vehicle, Hicks' is just happy her children are safe.

"My 1-year-old is fresh off of oxygen, so she has a ton of doctor's appointments a week," she said. "I can Uber, I would catch the bus with my kids, but I'm just thankful that I have my kids here with me to catch the bus with me."

Detroit police recently recovered the stolen Jeep, so Hicks will be getting it back Friday. The suspect was arrested and is expected to face charges.