According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the incident began about 8:15 a.m.
According to a preliminary investigation, a man driving a stolen car from Jonesboro, Arkansas, crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Hamilton Church Road.
When a Smyrna woman stopped to help after seeing the wreck, police reported, the suspect pushed her down, stole her keys and got inside her SUV.
A witness jumped into vehicle with the suspect to try and prevent him from fleeing the scene, but was unsuccessful, police said. The suspect then drove off in the vehicle with the child in the back seat.