Burglar Breaks Into Home, Steals Dead Child’s Ashes

When 12-year-old Ryan McDonald was close to death from a rare cell disorder one of his last wishes was that he be cremated so he could always be close to his mother. In 2007 Ryan died and that wish was fulfilled when mom Wendy Turnquist placed his ashed on her bedroom dresser, now those ashes are gone.

After returning home on Friday Wendy’s husband discovered that the urn holding her son’s ashes was gone, yet nothing else was taken.

Wendy told the Detroit Free Press :

“I lost it … We had valuables, they weren’t touched. … I had men’s gold rings, could have easily been taken to be sold for gold.”

The burglary was discovered when Ryan’s stepfather Dave Turnquist who came home early from work to discover the side door window was broken and the dressers were ransacked in the bedroom.

“We’ve been checking along the sides of the road, I mean, anywhere we could think of where somebody would dump it,” she said. “If somebody just thought that it was going to be worth something because it was heavy, it was metal and then they found out it wasn’t valuable to them. … It’s priceless to me. Maybe they just put it somewhere.”

Police Chief Daniel McCaw in the meantime says the burglar probably knew the family since they appeared to target only something of sentimental value.

The family is pleading with anyone who knows the whereabouts to contact them, the urn is made of stainless steel with four picture frames. The family is willing to provide a $1,000 reward for the urns safe return.

Police are accepting tips at 248-674-COPS (248-674-2677) and callers can remain anonymous if they so choose.

Here’s a full report of the crime:

Hopefully the burglar in the meantime is caught and brought to justice for such a disrespectful crime.