Ana Waalkens is heartbroken precious memories of her 4-year-old dead daughter Lila have been ripped away from her. Photo /Supplied
Ana Waalkens is heartbroken precious memories of her 4-year-old dead daughter Lila have been ripped away from her. Photo /Supplied
A mother has been left in "a world of pain" after the box filled with precious memories of her dead 4-year-old daughter has been stolen.
"That box is my whole life. I miss her every day, I visit her grave every week. It's beyond the stars for me and Ijust don't understand why someone would take it," Auckland mum Ana Waalkens told the Herald.
Her Remuera home - that she and her four children moved into for a "new beginning" - was broken into yesterday afternoon between 2.15 and 4.40pm.
After returning from a walk, Waalkens was "horrified" to discover her new home had been broken into and two bedrooms had been turned upside down.
Her 12-year-old son suffers from a lung disease called cystic fibrosis and relies on around 30 medications a day. Nearly all his medication had been stolen.
Waalkens shares her home with her four kids Bruno, Bassy, Tania and Tilly. Photo / Supplied
"Luckily I had a spare supply in the car so we were able to get through the night, otherwise he would have had to spend a night in hospital," Waalkens said.
It wasn't until after the police where examining the Norana Ave property, Waalkens checked her wardrobe and realised the box of her daughters things were gone.
Inside the box was an "ancient" camera with film yet to be developed which held a life-time of memories with her daughter, a lock of her hair, the bracelet and undies she was wearing the day she died, and hair ties.
Lila Kalolaine Lausi'i Tupou died suddenly in August 2014 after suffering an asthma attack. She was a twin.
Waalkens said Lila and her twin sister were joined at the hip.
"There was also a video of Lila's funeral inside the box that I was going to show her twin sister when she was older because she was too young to remember the funeral," Waalkens said.
The family's passports, laptops, PlayStation, sports equipment, labelled shoes and clothing were also stolen.
The thieves were not professionals as they left cigarette buts and fingerprints all over the place, Waalkens said.
She said police had told her they were more likely to have been opportunists.
A police spokeswoman said police received a burglary complaint yesterday afternoon.
"We are making initial inquiries at this stage and anyone with information can contact (09) 529 5647."
