Dead Baby's Ashes Stolen In Burglary, Family 'Absolutely Devastated'

The ashes of an English stillborn baby were stolen Monday from an engaged couple's southwest London apartment. Police suspected that the ashes were taken by robbers who mistakenly believed them to be drugs.

Police came across tracks Wednesday in the back garden. This led officers to believe that the robbers had escaped the scene from the home's back door, according to The Epoch Times. Local law enforcement urged those with information on the matter to come forward.

"During the burglary…a small clear bag from a wooden box which contained the ashes of the victim's deceased baby daughter was taken," Inspector Paul Noble told Irish Times. "Understandably, this has left the victim extremely distressed. Therefore, we are appealing to whoever entered the property last night to please do the right thing and return the bag to police."

Claire Smallwood exited her home for roughly three hours that day and noticed things were out of place upon her return. Her son Jonah's diapers were scattered along the hallway, but she didn't initially think anything of it. Smallwood then noticed other things were in disarray, but she didn't expect to discover that the ashes of her stillborn baby Holly were stolen.

"The sick and sad thing is whoever done it took Holly's ashes," Smallwood said Tuesday on Facebook. "The police believe they thought it was drugs. We...[are] absolutely devastated, angry and sickened. Tennnets street police station will be launching an appeal to get the ashes back."

"We don't care about whatever sick person done this we just want our Holly back. They are simply in a small plastic bag and tied in a knot," Smallwood added.

Holly's ashes remained missing Friday.

In an update to the incident, Smallwood told her Facebook friends Friday that her and fiancée Patrick Mulholland don't "want to give up hoping, but the more time goes on the less chance we have of getting our baby back."

"Please please everyone share whatever you can today regarding this," Smallwood wrote Friday on Facebook. "Maybe if the culprit sees something 1 more time, it could break them and make them do the right thing."