A COUPLE were left “completely devastated” after thugs stole their baby’s Christmas presents while he was receiving heart surgery.
Matt and Alice Trow, aged 32 and 33, were shocked to find out that their parked car had been broken into, just a few streets down from the hospital on Christmas Eve.
The couple, who are parents to one-year-old Finley and had just seen him through heart surgery hours before Christmas Day, shared with The Sun their dismay at feeling like their festive season had been completely ruined.
They were staying in accommodation provided by Ronald McDonald House, a charity which supports families when their child is in hospital.
Situated opposite Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the couple were praying for their baby’s safe return home on December 25.
Matt explained how they had prepared little things including sensory toys and a small number of pop-up books in anticipation for Finley’s arrival.
They had then wrapped these up, keeping them in his wife’s black Citroen.
This was locked in an NCP car park with a visible pass evidencing their eligibility for free parking due to having a long-term sick child.
Despite taking measures to prevent being fined in the parking lot, Matt was taken aback upon discovering that their car had been broken into, with glass strewn all around.
He exasperatedly asked: “Who would want to steal a sick baby’s gifts?”
To the new dad’s horror, the car has been turned over, the glovebox emptied and the only things missing from the car were the baby’s Christmas presents.
He told the Sun: “They weren’t worth a huge amount, but they were worth watching our son open something up on Christmas Day.
“I can’t imagine what they’ve done with them – probably in a bin once they realised what they were.”
The engineer from Bromsgrove described how he felt “completely devastated” after the thoughtless incident.
He added: “I didn’t care about the car. I just cared that someone could do something like this.
“All I wanted was for Finley to have gifts on his bedside table when he woke up and for me to read him a Christmas story.”
The pair have since informed the police who have said they will investigate, with Matt wondering whether he spotted the perpetrator the same day while on the third level.
Having noticed a “guy with a hammer” his mind has been left aimlessly wondering who might have committed such an atrocity so close to the day meant to be filled with festive celebrations.
Incredibly, the parents have taken the unexpected circumstances in their stride and found support in the local community which rallied around them.
Parents, care workers and hotel and hospital staff donated presents to replace the gifts that had been lost before little Finley could receive them.
Matt said: “We did actually end up having a good day in the end.
“The celebrity magician Ben Hanlin came and did a show at the hotel and we was allowed to take Finley out of the hospital for a few hours to go over and watch. So ended up having a good ending to the story.”
The Sun has approached West Midlands Police, Ronald McDonald House Charities and Birmingham Children’s Hospital for comment.
