Specially-Made Stroller Stolen From 7-Year-Old Boy, Then Returned With Extensive Damage
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UNIONTOWN (KDKA) -- A stroller, specially made for a 7-year-old boy with physical and mental challenges, was stolen in Uniontown on Monday afternoon. It's back with the family now, but it's in pretty bad shape.
The boy's grandmother, Kameshia Ford, says the damage is extensive.
"His kick bar is completely backwards. The neck brace is gone, the kick bar is messed up. I don't know the full extent of the damage, no assessment from… the company that made it, but there is definitely damage to it."
The special stroller belongs to Kamrem Sims, who is blind, deaf and non-verbal.
"He has CMV, which is a virus that affected his brain when my daughter was carrying him," said Ford. "He has no control of his neck. He has no muscle tone, period. The stroller was made for him to sit up, to keep his head up."
The stroller was stored outside instead of inside Ford's apartment because of the numerous steps.
"I have to go up this flight of steps, the ones right here, and also, there is a flight of steps over there, and once I get in the apartment, another set of stairs," she says. "The stroller is very heavy and there is no ramp for me to push it up."
So, for a year and half, the stroller was parked on the sidewalk under a tarp when not in use.
There had been no problems until Monday afternoon. That's when Ford posted on social media, offering a $500 reward for the return of stroller. It's money she says she had no intention to pay, and a woman took the bait.
"Immediately, upon me putting that on Facebook, I got a call saying, 'Oh, I found your grandson's stroller,'" said Ford.
But, even with the return of the stroller, it is no good to Kamrem. He still can't return to school, he can't hold up his head and he must be carried everywhere.
Meantime, Uniontown Police say they have no suspects yet. The case is still under investigation.
