HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida mother is ramping up efforts to find a teddy bear containing her daughter’s ashes after it was stolen.
It’s been a devastating week for Laquinta McKinney, who was forced to relive the death of her 2-month-old after the teddy bear containing the ashes was stolen, Monday.
“I lost her living and having her be a part of us. She’s lost again,” McKinney said.
McKinney is now on a mission, determined to find the one thing that kept her daughter’s memory alive.
She spent Wednesday night passing out flyers with other mothers, as well as her softball team, in hopes of tracking down the stolen teddy bear that holds her daughter’s remains.
“My daughter passed away in 2016, and we didn’t want to do a traditional burial and have her in a cemetery, so we decided to cremate her so that her remains and a piece of her can be with us forever,” McKinney said.
McKinney said the teddy bear was taken Monday while she was packing and moving from her Hollywood home.
Although McKinney’s daughter only lived for 66 days, her loss not only affected her family but also friends.
“After she passed, that was heartbreaking to me. I was also pregnant myself, so it actually gave me a scare,” said family friend Valencia Francis. “Every time I looked at my son, I always thought about her, so she’s someone very special to me that I would never forget about, and that’s why I’m out here.”
While McKinney knows finding the bear will be a difficult task, she said nothing will stop her from bringing her daughter back home.
“It’s much more than just a bear. She’s mine. It’s my kid,” she said.
McKinney does not want to press any charges and just hopes to have the stolen bear returned to her.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of this precious item, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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