Purse Carrying Deaf Toddler's Implants Stolen from Car as Mom Drops Kids off at Daycare
Kimberly Blodgett of Norman, Oklahoma, is a busy mom and teacher. She has three kids in their 20s and recently adopted a young boy named Albie and his sister.
When she was dropping off her younger kiddos at daycare earlier this month, she left her purse in her unlocked car. Someone noticed, and took it. Not only did the thief make off with debit and ID cards and a checkbook, but Albie’s cochlear implants were in the purse, too.
Albie is completely deaf, and the thief took away his only link to hearing the world around him. “If you see him and you put those on him you can tell a huge difference,” Blodgett told KFOR.
“Let’s be honest,” she added. “They’re probably in a dumpster somewhere.”
“My purse was stolen out of my car dropping my daughter off at daycare,” Blodgett posted on Facebook on Feb. 11. “The one time I didn’t lock it. They’re watching! Be aware. Daycare is 12th and Boyd area.”
From then on, Blodgett got updates whenever the criminal tried to access her finances.
“The purse thief tried to cash more checks today but today Edmond Mid First bank kept my debit card, ID, and checks,” she posted in an update. “So at least she doesn’t have that stuff anymore.”
“They called cops but she took off. Edmond PD took my cards as evidence. And HUGE SHOUT OUT to Andrew and Anne Marie at Edmond Mid first for keeping in touch with me daily with all the happenings!!! I plan to do something nice for them.”
The implants aren’t just a very important tool for Albie, they’re expensive. The thief probably didn’t even know they were one of the most valuable finds in the purse, coming in at around $20,000.
“In these instances, people move very quickly,” Sarah Jensen with the Norman Police said. “They’re looking for signs as well. They’re looking for maybe you didn’t have your car keys out. Maybe you didn’t lock your vehicle. The lights didn’t flash or maybe you didn’t have a purse on your shoulder when you were walking your children in.”
“It really is so important that people take those valuables with them wherever they go,” Jensen added. “We would never advise for anyone to ever leave their purse in their vehicle or any type of item that’s gonna hold valuables.”
A GoFundMe was started to help Albie get new implants, but a cochlear implant company heard about Blodgett’s story and donated a pair to Albie.
“If you donated to the go fund me your money will be returned,” the mother posted on Feb. 16. “The company cochlear is going to replace them. Thanks so much to all Of you! The go fund me will be cancelled. So please don’t donate to it.”
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