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Bakersfield woman is begging thieves to return her sons ashes

Posted at 7:05 PM, Jun 14, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-14 22:09:41-04

A northwest Bakersfield home was broken into over the weekend and the thief took far more than just valuables. 

Now, the homeowner, Margaret James is begging for the thief to return her son's ashes. 

It happened near Rosedale Hwy and Verdugo Lane.

James said she doesn't think the person or people who stole the ashes knew what they were taking and she's just hoping it's not too late to get them back. 

"It's devastating, I feel so violated," said James. 

She's still struggling with the fact that someone burglarized her Rosedale home over the weekend. 

Among the items taken were jewelry and a coin collection. 

However, James said when she saw her son's ashes were gone, she couldn't take it. 

"I just lost it. I couldn't believe they took those," said James. 

She said she lost her son Steven in 2011 and had him cremated so he could be buried with her when she dies. 

"When I went in and see the box gone, that was the first thing I thought of was, 'I lost him again. I've lost him all over again," James said through tears. 

Also stolen, the ashes of her beloved dog "Baby."

She said she clung to baby after her son died. 

She eventually had to put baby down due to medical complications, but had her cremated so that she could also be buried with her. 

"She meant the world to me. That dog was everything to me," said James. 

Now she's clinging to her necklace that she wears often. Inside of that necklace a tiny a bit of her son's ashes, but now she's begging whomever burglarized her home to bring all of the ashes back. She promises there will be no questions asked. 

"I hope they have the heart to bring my son home. Please, that's all I ask. Just bring my son home and my dog," begged James. 

James said her son was in a blue backpack inside of a box and her dog was inside of a blue velvet bag with a silver box inside. 

She's asking anyone with information about the ashes to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at 861-3110.