Mother pleads for return of special needs daughter's wheelchair

London, Ont. -

A mother is pleading for the return of her daughter’s wheelchair after she says it was stolen from her porch in the city’s east end overnight.

Caren Fair, mother of nine-year-old Aaliyah Faulknor, says she woke up Tuesday morning to discover that the wheelchair her daughter depends on to get around had disappeared.

‘I had tell her, she is very upset. It is just so shocking to me, it’s her life.”

Aaliyah was born 23 weeks premature and has cerebral palsy, making it difficult for her to walk more than 10 feet without assistance from a walker or wheelchair.

After COVID-19 hit the region, the family began taking more walks than ever and using the wheelchair helped Aaliyah participate.

Fair alleges on Tuesday morning at approximately 3:30 a.m. a man came up to her porch on Connaught Avenue and stole the wheelchair.

“I know people steal things…but I would never think someone would steal a little girl’s wheelchair.”

She says she caught the incident on home video surveillance and has notified the London Police Service.

CTV News London has reached out to police regarding the incident but have not received a response.

The wheelchair is pink, built for a child and has a handle similar to a stroller for adults to push.

Fair says it will take over a year to get a new-high performance wheelchair that is customized to her daughter’s needs, so she is pleading for its return.

“I want it returned, we just paid $2,000 to expand it. She has had it since she was three years old. It is going to take another year to get a new one, we have no backup.”