London woman pleads for return of mother's ashes stolen from her vehicle

When Dawn Huggett first realized her car was broken into in her east London driveway two weeks ago, she didn't care about her missing purse.

She knew she could replace the small change wallet and pack of cigarettes that were taken with the bag, but Huggett realized something irreplaceable was also gone.

"I was in shock and I actually had to pull over when I realized that my mom's ashes were in there," Huggett said.

The ashes were kept in a medium-sized pill bottle inside a red velvet bag, which Huggett kept in the black purse.

"It's terrifying to know that my mom is out there somewhere – and I know she's not alive – but I can't protect her if she's not with me," she said. "It's absolutely horrible. It's devastating just not knowing."

Huggett's mother, Mary Ann Huggett, died in 2021 after a two-year battle with cancer. Since then, Huggett has carried her mother's ashes with her every day, often taking them in and out of the car. She said it slipped her mind to bring them back into the house the night of Sept. 1.

"She enjoyed being in vehicles, she enjoyed traveling and she enjoyed being around us. Those were her happiest moments … Every summer, we'd go places and we'd do things, so mom was with us. So I kept her with us," Huggett said, adding that she always locks her car doors.

So far, Huggett has searched for the ashes around the neighbourhood, looking near the train tracks and through bushes, in case the bag was thrown somewhere. She said she also spoke to neighbours and posted about the missing belongings in a local Facebook group.

Huggett said on Sunday she had not filed a police report.

London police have been warning about car theft through an ongoing social media campaign, reminding Londoners to lock their doors and remove valuables from their car.

Huggett was her mother's only child, who raised her as a single mom while completely blind and on a low income.

The two spent a lot of time together, Huggett said, especially on the road.

"There was the singing in the vehicle, being together, enjoying each other's company and talking about who knows what. The conversation could go from talking about soup to talking about the colours of the the trees today," she recalled.

Huggett said her mother's ashes were an important memory, and her plea to get them back is simple.

"Just return it. I have no issues with whoever [broke into the car]. I know they may have needed what was in my vehicle more than me, but my mother's ashes are of no use to anyone but myself," she said.