Girl’s wheelchair stolen from front porch while she waited for school bus
CINCINNATI, OH (WCMH) – A Cincinnati mother is begging for the person responsible for stealing her young daughter’s wheelchair to come forward.
Austyn Bloebaum, 6, has spina bifida, and her only means of mobility outside her home is her wheelchair.
“I want my chair back,” she told WCPO.
According to Austyn’s mother, Casey Hamilton, the wheelchair was left outside for just a few moments while they were waiting on the school bus. When they came back outside, the $8,500 custom wheelchair was gone.
“Everybody on the street knows Austyn. They know her chair, they know her. Everybody loves her, so I was like, ‘I don’t understand,’” Hamilton said. “And then reality hit. Somebody took her wheelchair.”
Without the wheelchair, Austyn’s life is on pause.
“She cannot walk, so the wheelchair gives her the ability to function outside of the house,” Hamilton said. “It’s very hurtful and it hurts for her not to go to school because she loves school.”
Hamilton is in disbelief someone would take something her daughter is so dependent on.
“I’m not sure what you thought you were going to get out of it, but you took her legs and her ability to function outside the house away from her and that’s not fair,” Hamilton said. “If you stole it, like I’ve been praying for you because that’s really low, like clearly you need some help.”