Mother Pleads for Stolen Photos of Deceased Newborn Son Be Returned

I've dealt with my fair share of thieves. I remember coming out one Easter morning to a disaster of a mess in my car and a neighbor's Bible thrown carelessly into the running water on the street. Luckily, the child's artwork and message the Bible encompassed were still in tact. Although "stealing" is one of the oldest sins, it feels brand new every time it happens to you. You feel violated- someone broke into your space and stole the things you've worked hard for. It just makes me sick right down to the pit of my stomach.

Almost everything I've had stolen hasn't been all that important - everything is replaceable. But, what this family had stolen from this, well, it's beyond fathomable.

Two weeks ago in Charlotte, NC, Now I Lay me Down to Sleep photographer Faith Massey took photos of a newborn baby who only had thirty minutes alive on this earth. Surrounded by family, Baby Amari's little life was captured on film. Amari's mother, April McLean took comfort in the fact that she would be able to hold on to her short, but sweet memories with her son in the form of photographs.

But, the next morning, Massey discovered the camera had been stolen from her garage.

"It's something that can't be replaced. It's something that is going to live in their hearts forever but the memory fades very quickly. Especially when you only have a few hours with your child," Massey said.

Both the mother and photographer are pleading for whoever took the camera to send her the photos or memory card.

"Have a heart for this family and know that these are the only images they have of their child," Massey said.

"Words cannot explain how I'm feeling right now, After loosing Amari, Faith helped make sure that we captured all of Amari's precious moments on her camera shortly after I gave birth til the moment he took his last breath. To find out that the camera has been stolen with the memory card full of the last moments with my baby, broke my heart. I've cried til I can't cry anymore. The only picture with me holding my baby is in that camera and it was only 5 mins I was able to hold him. So PLEASE, if you are the person who took this camera PLEASE at least turn the memory card in to wbtv news. You may do it anonymously. At this point I don't care who you are, To lose my child and to lose the only pictures we have of Amari can't even be explained. Just hurts and heartbroken. Please Just give me back the last moments I had with my child," pleaded April McLean.

According to 14 WFIE, Although the camera was stolen in NC, you never know when an internet purchase or running across familiar photos online might help this family heal. Massey's camera is described as a Cannon 6D with a 50mm 1.2 USM lens. The camera bag also had a 100mm 2.8 macro and 85mm 1.8 USM lens inside, along with other camera gear totaling over $5,000.

If you have any information, email Faith at faith@imagesbyfaith.com.