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The incident took place Nov. 2 at a commercial parking lot in Sandy Hook Center, according to Newtown police.
A man later identified as 29-year-old Osvaldo Lopez of Danbury drove a damaged Toyota Venza, which had been stolen, into the parking lot, got out, and approached the young girl, who was holding car keys, Newtown police said.
He snatched the keys from the child, got into the family's Honda Odyssey and drove off, according to Newtown police.
The girl's father tried to stop him by jumping on the hood of the minivan, but Lopez kept going, causing the father to fall and sustain minor injuries, according to Newtown police.
Lopez drove off and got onto I-84, but the minivan was recovered that weekend, police said. Through an investigation, officers were able to identify Lopez as a suspect, Newtown police reported.
Lopez was arrested on Dec. 21 while appearing in court in Danbury on an unrelated matter. He was charged with first-degree larceny, third-degree robbery, risk of injury to a child, reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, operation of a motor vehicle under suspension, third-degree larceny and weapon in a motor vehicle, according to Newtown police.
He was held on $100,000 bond and was arraigned on Dec. 21 on the charges.
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