Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Mum’s fury as special food for her girl stolen
Disabled child hit by cruel car theft
A MUM hit out yesterday at the “scumbags” who stole her disabled daughter’s feeding bag from their car during Orange Fest.
Lisa Warren said she takes her daughter to see the bands marching through Belfast on the Twelfth every year.
But because of the six-year-old’s condition she has to take the car into the city.
This year it was broken into and a bag containing Mia’s food pump and food was taken.
Lisa said: “I am completely and utterly disgusted that somebody could do that on a disabled child.
“You can tell it’s a Motability car. Whoever has done this knows.
“I parked the car beside the Fire Station off Ormeau Road and went in to watch the parade just before 11am.
“We got back to the car just around 1.15pm and I was putting her inside when my friend said to me the window was broken.
“I didn’t leave anything valuable in the car and it was beside a main road.
“I cannot take her into town on a bus or a taxi. I have to drive.”
After the incident Lisa said she called police to report what happened.
She said the only thing taken from the car was Mia’s food bag and special pump that she needs to be able to eat.
These items were of the floor on the passenger side while the driver’s side window was broken.
Lisa added: “I phoned the police and gave them the details. I realised her schoolbag with all her food and food pump was gone.
“Words cannot express my disgust. The window was smashed to smithereens.”
Luckily the bag was later found, but everything inside had to be disinfected before Mia could eat.
Lisa said: “I got a call from St Malachy’s Church, they told me, ‘There’s a bag here’.
“But I’ve had to come in and disinfect everything.
“I don’t know who’s touched it – it could have been people taking drugs or anything. Before I could give the child anything, everything had to be disinfected.”
On top of this, the break-in also cost Mia’s mum £50 insurance excess she said she cannot afford.
She said: “I have had to go and borrow the money to pay the excess as Mia cannot go out without a car.”
Little Mia has Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a rare genetic disease and she is unable to walk, eat or breathe without help.
Many children with the condition don’t live past the age of one.
Earlier this year her family shared their delight when she was given the go-ahead to start a potentially life-saving drug after weeks of campaigning.
A spokesman for the PSNI said enquiries into the incident are ongoing.
He added: “It was reported that sometime between 10.40am and 1.15pm a car parked in Bankmore Street had the driver’s window smashed and a food pump removed.”