Inset: Christopher Mollette (Big Sandy Regional Detention Center). Background: The Kentucky hospital where Christopher Mollette’s ex gave birth to his child before he allegedly stole her car (Google Maps).
A Kentucky man watched the birth of his child and then bolted out of town in a car belonging to the baby‘s mother after swiping it from the hospital where the delivery happened, cops say.
Christopher Mollette, 37, of Tomahawk, allegedly went to Pikeville Medical Center to watch the birth and was told by the mother that he could sit in her car to stay out of the cold since he wasn’t allowed to be inside the hospital with her due to visitation policies, according to the local news outlet Mountain Top Media. Police described the woman as Mollette’s ex-girlfriend.
Mollette, who has several prior arrests, allegedly agreed to stay in the car and went out to the vehicle after the birth while the mother remained at the hospital.
When it was time for him to return, Mollette was allegedly nowhere to be found and his ex discovered that her car was gone. Police were called and officers reviewed security video to see if Mollette could be spotted leaving with the vehicle, according to the Mountain Citizen.
While reviewing the footage, cops say they spotted Mollette getting into the passenger seat of the mother’s car at first. He was allegedly then seen getting out of the car and hopping into the driver’s seat before pulling away and leaving.
The mother told police that she tried calling Mollette to get in touch with him. He allegedly answered the phone and claimed it was none of her business where her vehicle was, then hung up on her, according to the police.
Police say Mollette took the car to Paintsville, which is about 45 minutes away from Pikeville Medical Center, where he was found and arrested on Saturday night. He has been charged with auto theft and receiving stolen property, according to online jail records.
Mollette’s prior arrests include possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, along with traffic charges and failure to appear in court, according to The Mountain Citizen newspaper. He was being held on Monday at the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center on a $10,000 bond for each charge he’s currently facing.
