Child’s Grave Toy Thief Caught, Offers Explanation for Theft

A woman who stole a toy from a child’s grave has been caught after being turned in by several tipsters after recognizing her on a surveillance video.

Because there is video evidence of the woman stealing from the child’s grave, there is little conversation regarding if she really did it. The conversation now is surrounding why would anyone steal a toy from a child’s grave.

The woman, Frieda Kay Shade, 54, of Mansfield, Ohio, has either a credible excuse or a lame lie. Perhaps it depends on your perspective. According to a report un USA Today, Shade claims that a dog was running loose in the area and that she didn’t want the dog to destroy the toy.

Shade is scheduled to appear in court on May 8. Her attorney claims that she will plead not guilty to one count of theft, which is a first-degree misdemeanor.

Shade’s attorney, Charles Robinson, says that people shouldn’t be too quick to rush to judgement about the apparent theft from a child’s grave.

“The video is there, we’re not denying that. But video evidence does not show what a person is thinking. There are mitigating circumstances. We all have sympathy for a child who has expired. We know how hard that is, and we sympathize with that.”

Regardless of what the mitigating circumstances are, it will perhaps be hard to convince anyone that it is OK to take a toy from a child’s grave. Even those who know Shade are having trouble verbalizing any opinions right now.

Unfortunately for the parents of the child, Hayden “Tank” Cole Sheridan, this is not the first time items have been stolen from the grave of their son.

Some of the other items that have been stolen from the grave include flowers, wreaths and toy tanks. It was the consistent theft from the child’s grave site that led the Ontario (Ohio) Police Department to set up the surveillance camera that ultimately caught Shade.

The boy’s father, Scott Sheridan, who has endured several thefts from his child’s grave, says he is not sure what he thinks right now.

“I have no idea yet how I feel about (the arrest). I’m kind of in shock and have had no chance to think about it.”

Sheridan says that he and his family will continue to leave toys and other items on their child’s grave.

What do you think Shade’s punishment for stealing from a child’s grave should be?

Image via Ontario Police Department