Thief steals from 2-year-old boy's New Castle grave site

A family dealing with a terrible tragedy becomes the victim of a heart breaking crime.

After losing their 2-year-old son, Dusty, in an accident earlier this year, a New Castle family placed a small Christmas tree at his grave during the holidays but now, the ornaments decorating the tree are missing.

The boy's family said the thieves have taken far more than just decorations.

"We just decorated his spot to show him and everyone that he's still with us no matter what, to remember him this Christmas," said Trisha McFalls, Dusty's mother.

They decorated it with ornaments meaningful to the family so you can imagine their horror when they realized someone had stolen some of those decorations.

"It's bad enough that he's not here, but for someone to come here and steal things from his grave site breaks my heart," said McFalls.

A Santa, snowman and drum set ornament picked out by Dusty's 7-year-old brother all disappeared. Other parts of the memorial remain so it seems the thief picked what he or she wanted and left.

"It devastates me that someone had to come out here and take three ornaments off his tree."

The McFalls family said their anger won't keep them from coming out to the grave site and remembering their loved one fondly, though.

They're asking whoever took the mementos to bring them back, hoping even a cemetery thief has enough conscience to do the right thing.

"If you have any type of heart, bring them back. I mean, I'm not trying to press charges or anything like that. I just want my son's Christmas decorations to be the way it was when we put it out here."

The cemetery is run by the city of New Castle. Mayor Greg York said the cemetery has two access gates, which are locked from dusk until dawn. His office has begun an investigation into the incident.