A pair of baby girls left in their car seats in an Indianapolis ditch were recovered Monday by a man in below-freezing temperatures.

The silver 2013 Hyundai Sonata that held the two infants was stolen earlier in the day, after which the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department posted an SOS on X in the hopes that the 4- and 5-month-olds could be found safely.

The two babies are cousins, family members told Indianapolis CBS affiliate WTTV. 

The babies were abandoned near the home of Robert Deane, 4 miles from where the car was reported stolen. When he went outside to retrieve some packages, he saw the babies exposed to the frigid weather and brought them to shelter, according to The Indianapolis Star.

“One of them wasn’t crying, which was really concerning to me. The only thing on my mind was getting them inside my house and getting them warm,” Mr. Deane, 41, told The New York Times, adding that as a parent himself “I would hope someone would do the same for me and my young daughter.”

The babies were recovered and the stolen car was found by 11:57 a.m., IMPD posted on X.

IMPD Officer William Young told The Indianapolis Star, “I can’t thank that good Samaritan enough. We don’t have a suspect in custody, but that will be our next priority is figuring out who is responsible for this particular incident.”

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.