SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A San Diego mother is pleading for help after thieves stole an urn containing her unborn son's ashes from her car while she was shopping at a Target in Clairemont.
Nina Varela showed us an ultrasound image, in which she was about 4-and-a-half months pregnant. Weeks later, she developed a life-threatening infection that required surgery to remove the fetus. Her son, whom she named Angel, didn't survive.
"He's now my little angel,” said Varela.
Last week, the mother of three other children picked up Angel's ashes from the mortuary. The urn was packaged in a box with a label stating these were cremated remains, along with the name of her son.
On Wednesday evening, Varela stopped by the Target in Clairemont on her way home, placing the box in her front passenger seat. After more than an hour of shopping, she returned to find it gone.
"I get in my car and look and it was gone," Varela said.
The box had been ripped open and tossed on the floor. Soon after, Varela saw a man and woman, possibly in their early 20s, walk in front of her car.
“One was staring at me. The girl was smoking," she said, describing the encounter.
A witness later told Varela he had seen the two looking in her car. She contacted store security, and eventually found them, but watched as the suspects got into a brown SUV and drove off.
Varela believes the thieves knew exactly what they were taking.
"I think it's just inhuman, cruel," she said.
The theft has compounded her grief over losing Angel.
"Now that he's gone, I feel like a part of me is gone," Varela said. "Having his ashes is like him being here with me."
Varela has filed a police report and is sharing her story publicly, appealing for tips in hopes of getting her son's ashes back.
"I just want my urn, my son back. I just want him home," she said.
Anyone with information can contact San Diego Police at 619-531-2000.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
