Heartbroken Flintshire Parents Plea for return of tragic leukaemia girl photos after burglars stole camera from family home
Mark and Anne-Marie have been left devastated after burglars stole a camera, Camcorder and laptop containing images of their daughter, Caitlyn who passed away five years ago after a battle with leukaemia.
Burglars struck at the property in Sandy Lane, Garden City sometime between the 7th & 11th August
Police are now investigating and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
Investigating officer, DC Jeanette Coyle at Mold CID said: “Sometime over the last four days a house in Sandy Lane, Garden City was broken into and amongst the property stolen are significantly sentimental photographs of the victim’s 11-year-old daughter, Caitlyn who tragically passed away five years ago.
“The photographs are on a Fuji Film Fine Pix digital camera, silver JVC hard disk hand-held Camcorder and stored on a Packard Bell laptop, all of which were stolen during the course of the break-in. “Also stolen was a quantity of jewellery in a box inscribed: ‘To Princess Mummy, for all your beautiful things, love Kaelan’ (Caitlyn’s surviving sibling).”
DC Coyle added, “Being the victim of a domestic burglary is very distressing and whilst a full list of stolen property is still being compiled, it is the loss of Caitlyn’s photographs that the family are understandably most distraught over and on their behalf I’m pleading with anyone in the community who knows anything about this incident to contact police ASAP so we can have a chance of saving the photographs and returning them to the family.”
The officer continued: “Whilst the investigation into residential burglaries is a North Wales Police priority, it must be emphasised that we need assistance from our local communities to both reduce incidents of this nature and identify those responsible.
“It is worth reminding all house holders to be vigilant at all times, always ensure your property is locked and secured and if you see any suspicious behaviour contact police immediately.”
She finished her original treatment in September 2005 and was in remission for 15 months, but relapsed in December 2006.
Caitlyn sadly passed away in July 2011.
UPDATE
Michal Marian Baranowski JAILED after theft from grieving Garden City family
Polish Man Michal Marian Baranowski moved to the UK six years ago and has a history of 10 previous convictions for 17 offences – is now being considered for deportation.
Judge Geraint Walters told Michal Marian Baranowski that in view of his “despicable conduct” the Home Office had to consider whether it was appropriate for him to remain in the UK “given the way you have breached the trust placed in you”.
In the space of two months Baranowski, 33, burgled the homes of two Deeside neighbours and stole from a third, Mold Crown Court was told yesterday.
Caitlyn Rio Edwards’ bedroom in Sandy Lane, Garden City, had remained untouched by her family in the five years since her death from leukaemia, prosecutor Sam Aynsley said.
The drunken intruder, who lived two doors away from Mark and Anne-Marie Taylor, broke in while they were on holiday and stole treasured films and photographs, along with jewellery belonging to their late daughter Caitlyn.
He had vomited on their dining room floor during his ransacking of the house.
Although irreplaceable photos had been recovered, thanks to a pawn shop and Baranowski’s help, some of Caitlyn’s jewellery had been melted down and was lost to the family forever.
In an eight-page victim impact statement, the family said they visited Caitlyn’s bedroom on anniversaries and at Christmas but since the burglary, they felt that “comfort” had been taken away from them.
Their five-year-old son needed one of them to lie with him until he went to sleep because he was afraid “naughty people” might return.
After the burglary either the husband or wife stayed in the house and they no longer went out shopping together.
Baranowski was arrested after his fingerprint was found at the break-in. He pleaded guilty to the burglary between August 10 and 13 and appeared for sentence.
He also asked for another burglary in Sandy Lane, and a theft from another neighbour, to be considered.
Judge Walters said: “There is something particularly mean about going around burgling neighbours.
“”In July and August, you embarked on a campaign of dishonesty directed towards your immediate neighbours. The offence you committed [the Taylor family home] has had life-changing consequences for the family.
“The Taylor family will never be the same again.”
He accepted that Baranowski did not know about the family tragedy and was full of remorse and had helped the police recover as much property as possible. But some of Caitlyn’s jewellery and gifts she had made to her “princess mummy” had been lost forever.
The judge said: “Five years ago that family finally lost their daughter who had been battling leukaemia. For years they had to watch her decline and... in an endeavour to come to terms with such a horrendous loss they kept her room as it had been.
“Little gain for you was an enormous loss to them.”
Sarah White, defending, said Baranowski had come to the UK with his partner six years ago and worked in the recycling industry. But he had debt, drink and mental health problems.
He did not know of the Taylor family tragedy and was full of remorse.
After he had served his sentence he would have to deal with the issue of deportation and all the problems that would bring his family.
The court heard treasured photographs and videos of the 11-year-old girl and her jewellery was taken but thanks to a pawn shop the camera and computer containing the irreplaceable photographs had been recovered.
But her jewellery and a heart-shaped cremation pendant, with a message from the deceased girl’s sister to their mother, had been lost forever because they had been melted down.
Baranowski, who followed the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, had been in the UK for six years and had no previous convictions in the UK.
Arrested and interviewed, Baranowski admitted what he had done. The burglar got in after using a garden hoe on a ground floor window.
After the sentencing hearing Inspector Dave Jolly said: “We welcome the sentence given to Baranowski. This was a particularly unpleasant crime and the court has recognised the impact it has had on a grieving family.
“I would also like to thank the local community for the support they gave in helping to bring this offender to justice.”
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