Garland mother pleads for return of son's stolen ashes

A Garland mother is making an emotional plea after she says a thief broke into her car and stole her son’s ashes.

San Juanita Martinez is grieving the loss of her son -- for a second time.

“We couldn't give him a proper burial because we didn't have the funds to bury him,” Martinez said.

Her son, 24-year-old Victor Facundo died in 2014 from a sudden stroke, brought on by diabetes.

“I still can't get over it,” said Martinez. “It's something no mother can get over.”

Martinez had her son's body cremated and carries his ashes with her everywhere she goes.

"I feel his presence is there with me when his ashes are around me,” Martinez said. “I just can't part with them.”

But Martinez was forced to part with her son's remains when someone stole them from the family pickup truck early Friday morning -- parked right outside the family's home in Garland.

“It's not fair for us to lose him again,” Martinez said. “It's not fair. It's not.”

“How could somebody be a cold, heartless person,” said San Juanita Facundo, Martinez’s daughter. “All we want back is my brother. We want his ashes back. That's all we want.”

The ashes were in a black box with a label from the funeral home. It also had a picture of Victor taped to the box.

“I plead with them to please return my son's ashes,” said Martinez. “They're my son! It's my son!"

And unless someone returns the ashes, the only memories the family has of Victor are a couple of photographs and a small memorial.

“Please bring him back home,” pleaded Facundo. “Like my mom said, leave him on the front porch. Leave him on top of any car that's out there, but please return him. That's all we need for him, to come back home.”

Martinez says the crook also stole her husband's tools. She's hoping they'll realize the ashes are of no value and return them. Anyone with information is asked to call Garland police.