Woman in Chowan County, North Carolina finds potentially armed, dangerous escaped inmate in backseat of car in Edenton
A woman in Chowan County, North Carolina got a terrifying surprise Monday morning when she found an escaped inmate hiding in the back of her car.
Marie Steinburg, 75, had just left her home for work when she noticed movement in her backseat in Edenton, North Carolina.
It was 23-year-old Charles Edward Babb, who the Edenton Police Department had warned was potentially armed and dangerous. ABC affiliate WAVY reported that he was still in his orange jumpsuit and wrapped in one of the blankets from the loft above Steinburg's garage.
Despite the shock, Steinburg stayed calm and tried to de-escalate the situation, even offering Babb a coat. Moments later, he ran off, leaving behind only his shoes.
Steinburg's husband, Bob Steinburg, a former state legislator, can't say enough about how his wife handled the situation.
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"I was very proud of my wife. I mean, the way she handled it as I'm hearing about this now from her and others that she really did a great job," he said.
For Steinburg, the experience was a wake-up call. She will be making sure to lock her car.
"It's one of those things that we learned," she said.
After the encounter, Babb ran away, prompting the Steinburgs to call 911. Police captured him a short time later nearby.
