A grief-stricken mum has made an emotional plea for information after burglars stole money set aside to pay for her child’s headstone.
Lesley Anne Hebenton (28) and her husband Craig (28) faced every parent’s worst nightmare when they lost their 19-month-old son Jack to cot death last month.
The heartbroken Dundee couple were forced to close the youngster’s bank account, which held £450. Instead of using the money for their son’s future they decided to use the funds to buy his gravestone.
However, their grief was compounded on Wednesday after they woke to find that their home in Honeygreen Road had been broken into and the money stolen.
Lesley Anne, who is on leave from her work as a community psychiatric nurse with NHS Tayside, told The Courier she was devastated by what had happened.
”I feel violated,” she said. ”It is just so upsetting. I know we have no chance of getting the money back now, but I just hope that somebody shops whoever is responsible.
”They took another £100 of my Christmas money from my purse, but that doesn’t worry me. It is just that they have taken something that belonged to Jack.”
Police officers were at the scene on Wednesday to carry out door-to-door inquiries.
Family members including Lesley Anne’s mother Lesley McCallum, who was also at the house, have rallied round to protect and support the couple.
”When Jack died it was easy to think that the world is a bad place,” Lesley Anne said.
”But there are still good souls out there we have found that out since Jack passed. I just want to get justice for my son, that’s all I want.”
Mrs McCallum said she did not want other families to go through what they have experienced.
Holding back the tears, she said: ”That money was Jack’s and I think that is what we are finding so difficult to come to terms with. The idea that someone has come in here and taken it is just awful.
”The family contributed to Jack’s savings account and now it’s gone. It’s really odd that someone could do that.”