Horror as man allegedly steals a car with child asleep in the back near Newcastle in NSW

A child in New South Wales, who was in the back seat of a vehicle that was reportedly carjacked, has been safely reunited with their family without any harm. 

At around 2:30 pm on Sunday, a man reportedly took control of a parked vehicle on Groves Rd, near Newcastle.

The vehicle had a one-year-old child sleeping in the back seat. The alleged carjacker proceeded to drive towards the Pacific Highway but stopped at a nearby car park, abandoning the vehicle and fleeing the scene. 

A swift investigation by police led to the arrest of a 27-year-old man at a residence on Cherry Street in Windale around 3 pm on Monday. 

The suspect has been charged with offences including unlawfully taking or driving a motor vehicle with a person in it, taking and driving a conveyance without the owner's consent, and driving as a learner without proper accompaniment.

The man was denied bail and is scheduled to appear in Belmont Local Court on Tuesday.