Petty Officer Devyn Drake says she was coming back home after an overnight shift at Naval Station Norfolk when she saw a car seat at the Parkwood Manor Apartments complex.
"I thought it was just furniture left outside," explained Drake. "But when I got closer, I saw a little head peeping through the blanket hole and I saw it was a baby. I couldn't believe it."
Inside that car seat was Vanessa Dasilva. At the time, Drake had no idea she was the baby reported missing by her mother that led Virginia State police trooper and Chesapeake police officers on a widespread search for Vanessa.
Police said a man stole an SUV at a Wawa in Chesapeake after Vanessa's mother left her inside with the doors unlocked. The suspect then left Vanessa alone at the Parkwood Manor Apartments in Norfolk just minutes later.
Drake took Vanessa inside where her mother helped take care of the child. Drake called 9-1-1 and the nearby Norfolk Fire Department helped take the baby to the police station. Vanessa was reported missing around 6:20 a.m. Wednesday and Drake found her just 30 minutes later.
"It was perfect timing because of the distance between Chesapeake and Norfolk that I arrived just in time that the baby wasn't left out in the cold for too long, because it was starting to snow," said Drake.
Drake has a five-month-old son and says she could not believe her child being in any kind of situation like this.
"My heart sank," Drake described the moment she noticed Vanessa. "I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to help save that baby and to make sure she wasn't harmed in any way and get her back to her mom."
Drake says she hasn't been in contact with the family, but was just happy to have helped a fellow mother.
Vanessa is safe and back home with her mother.13News Now spoke with the mom who was visibly upset Wednesday. She said she learned her lesson and won't ever let it happen again.