Stolen Car Found But Mother's Ashes Missing

The beloved remains of a loved one disappeared after a woman's car was stolen from a metro store. The car was stolen Monday from the Family Dollar store on Martin Luther King Ave. across the street from Remington Park.

Kassie Gladd, a horse trainer at Remington Park visits the store often. This time she made the mistake of running into the store and leaving her keys inside the unlocked car. When she came out of the store, the vehicle was gone. Besides the missing car, Gladd said she had more than $1,000 worth of personal items inside the car.

“My clothes, my boots, checks to pay my employees, pictures, necklaces,” said Gladd.

She said all of it can be replaced expect her mother’s ashes.  

“It said 'Mom' on the bag,” Gladd said. “They took my necklace with the ashes in it. My little necklace that I hung on the rearview mirror.”

She left the invaluable items in her car since her mother's death in 2016.

“I can’t have my mom back,” said Gladd. “So that’s a piece of her that I’ve always kept with me.”

The car was recovered on South Meridian in near perfect condition but everything inside is still missing. The thief also stripped off the catalytic converter. Police said the part was likely sold for cash.

“That part isn’t uncommon,” said Msgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department. “The ashes being stolen, that’s something that we don’t see on a regular basis.”

Gladd thinks whoever stole her car might have tossed everything out including the bag and necklace the ashes were in, but she hopes there is a chance they didn't.

“I can go buy news clothes. I’m not worried about the rest of the stuff,” said Gladd. “I just want my mom’s ashes back.”

She said if the ashes are found, they can be returned to the Family Dollar store where the car was stolen.