A non-profit supporting military families and veterans is offering a reward for the return of an infant’s cremated remains that were stolen in Covington along with a moving truck belonging to a military family.
The Louisana-based Every Warrior organization took up a collection among its staff and has pledged $3,000 as a reward upon the return of the child’s ashes, according to a press release. The reward money is separate from donations the organization is collecting to support Ben and Kassandra Benson after the loss of most of their belongings, the release said.
The incident happened early Wednesday morning in the parking lot of a La Quinta Inn in Covington, where the Bensons were staying the night. The couple was driving through Georgia in the process of relocating, so the truck and trailer contained most of their possessions, including the ashes of their son who died at 6 months old.
Around 1 a.m., two cars pulled into the hotel’s parking lot and a man walked to the U-Haul, Covington police spokesman Capt. Ken Malcom said. The man was able to get inside the truck and start it, driving the U-Haul away along with a trailer that was connected.
Police recovered the truck and trailer Thursday in Forest Park.
“A number of items were stolen,” Malcom said. “The ashes were not found.”
Investigators went through the recovered truck and trailer with the Bensons, guiding them on FaceTime and prioritizing the ashes as they searched, Malcom said.
The urn containing the child’s remains could have been mistaken as a jewelry box or another item with monetary value, Malcom said, but other meaningful items were taken as well. A portrait of the couple’s son and a cross with sentimental value were also missing.
“The other items that were stolen are all things that can be replaced,” Malcom said. “Obviously, our priority is to find the child’s cremated remains. Hopefully, someone will recognize the suspects from the surveillance video and come forward.”
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