Ohio Woman Loses Mother's Ashes After Car Gets Stolen

An Ohio woman lost a priceless necklace that contained her mother’s ashes after her car was stolen from her driveway.

Baily Cole had her mother, Kelly’s ashes put into an owl necklace after she died from breast cancer in 2019.

The necklace hung around her rearview mirror, which Cole said made her feel safe whenever she drove.

However, on Thursday, July 29, the 27-year-old was in a state of dismay when she learned that her Chevy Sonic had been stolen from her home in Akron’s Highland Square neighborhood.

Cole said someone got into her boyfriend’s car that was parked on the street and found the spare keys to her car and her house.

On Thursday night, her boyfriend looked out the window after seeing headlights from the driveway and realized that her car was leaving.

"He thought someone had pulled in the driveway and was backing out," Cole told Akron Beacon Journal. "He was like, 'Was your car parked in the driveway?' I said yes, and he said 'Well, it’s gone.'"

The police were alerted and roughly two hours later her car was found before abandoned near Wildwood Avenue and Orrin Street.

The car had no physical damage, she said, but the thief or thieves had taken all of her daughters' items from the back seat. A blanket, bookbag, toys, and car seat were all gone.

Thankfully, the car didn't contain any cash, she said.

But the most valuable thing in her life that was either taken or thrown away was an owl-shaped cremation necklace. She said she chose an owl necklace because it was her mother’s spirit animal.

It’s not an expensive necklace and only cost about $40, but it's irreplaceable, Cole said, adding she isn’t sure why someone would take it.

"There’s no diamonds, there’s no crystals, it’s not expensive," Cole said. "But what was inside was obviously priceless."

"I don’t care about anything else, because it’s all material things I can replace," Cole said. "I just want to know where that necklace is at."

The police have not made any arrests after the theft. One person took the car, but they believe five people were riding in it before it was abandoned, Cole said.

Cole genuinely hopes someone who has the necklace will anonymously drop it off at her door.