Woman charged in connection with 2 Chicago carjackings

CHICAGO (AP) - A 36-year-old woman has been arrested following two Chicago carjackings, including one where an 8-year-old boy jumped from an SUV to escape.

Veronica Harden appeared in a bond court hearing Saturday via video from a hospital room.

Harden was charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking of a passenger under age 16, aggravated vehicular hijacking of a handicapped person, aggravated battery of a victim older than 60, aggravated battery and aggravated kidnapping of a person younger than age 13, according to police.

A judge set bond at $1 million.

On Feb. 6, an SUV was taken from a grocery store parking lot in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. The 8-year-old boy was in the rear seat. His mother, who was nearby, ran toward the moving SUV and was run over by a rear tire.

Prosecutors said she continued to run after the SUV and yelled for her son to jump out.

The boy suffered bruises. His mother suffered a punctured lung, a broken foot and broken ribs.

The second carjacking occurred Wednesday in the parking lot of a pharmacy when a 64-year-old woman was thrown from her vehicle.

Harden was arrested Thursday.