Chicago car theft involves stolen ashes of deceased child

A Texas woman, Krystele Matthews, has recovered the ashes of her late son after they were stolen during a vehicle theft in Chicago. Matthews reported that her car was stolen while she was visiting her grandmother, containing the remains of her son, Zahir Eitan Jones, who died in an August car accident.

In addition to the ashes, the vehicle held memorial items including condolence books, death notices, and a small astronaut figurine. After the theft, Matthews posted a plea on TikTok, stating, “I want my baby back,” which garnered over 200,000 views.

While the vehicle was not recovered, the family found the bag of ashes and the other sentimental items left on their porch a day after the appeal. Matthews expressed gratitude for the return of the remains, noting that the act showed there is still morality in the world.