Grave robbers

THEFT AND DAMAGE ... Brooklyn Dylan Wright's grave before thieves stole ornaments and lights

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Thieves plunder Brooklyn's plot

A HEARTBROKEN family have hit out at thieves who stole ornaments, lights and decorations from the grave of their precious 18-month old girl.

Brooklyn Dylan Wright died suddenly just before Christmas in 2010 after developing bronchopneumonia.

Her devastated family, originally from Oldham but now living in Huddersfield, make the trip back to Brooklyn’s grave at Greenacres Cemetery every week.

However they were devastated to discover that new decorations added on what would have been Brooklyn’s sixth birthday had been stolen. A couple of angel ornaments placed on the headstone had also been significantly damaged.

Brooklyn’s grandmother Angela Cioffi (52) said: “We are all devastated.

“We spent hours making her garden, our name for her grave, as nice and pretty as we could.

“We lit candles and added solar heart lights and a few ornaments we knew she’d like as well as installing new trellis edging around it.

“But they’ve all been taken.

“I don’t understand who could do something like this, taking things from a little girl’s grave.

“It makes me sick to the stomach.”

She added that it is not the first time the family has experienced such a terrible crime, with three other thefts recorded from Brooklyn’s grave over the years.

Angela, who was lovingly referred to as “Nu Nu” by Brooklyn, added: “The whole family is heartbroken.

“We are all still trying to cope with our grief however we can as we approach the fifth anniversary this year, but when something like this happens it just knocks us back down again.”

She added it had been particularly hard on Brooklyn’s parents, Sarah and Gary, as well as her husband Francis (62), Brooklyn’s grandfather, who discovered the most recent theft.

Angela said: “Sarah is livid and upset and I know the family is struggling to accept what happened.

“But she has to stay strong for her two children, Bailey (8) and Dallas (2).”

She added that the family believes the items are being stolen by young people in the area and hope the publicity will encourage them to return what was taken.

“Sometimes it feels like we are being targeted but it is probably just kids who see these lights at night and take them for themselves.

“But I’m struggling to understand why they would do it.”