GARLAND, Texas — After having to go a few days not knowing if she'd ever see her daughter's ashes again, a Texas mother is relieved to be reunited with this important memory of her child thanks to some quick police work.
On Halloween, Karen Hoffman was at her storage unit in Garland, loading up her car. She filled up her 2016 Volkswagen Jetta.
"I'm in between homes," said Hoffman, who recently found a place to stay at a hotel.
Ready for more stability, Hoffman, with her belongings, headed toward the hotel. But she stopped first at a 7-Eleven in Garland along the way.
"I left the car running because it was cold," she said.
In that short time inside the store, Garland police confirmed four suspects stole Hoffman's vehicle. Police said it was last seen in Dallas on Halloween night. Two days later, police provided an update saying the vehicle was found with the ashes still in the trunk. Officers reportedly used flock cameras to find the car.
Hoffman's clothes and other items in the front and back seats were ditched nearby, but the thieves didn't take her items out of the trunk before taking off.
"My daughter's ashes are in the trunk of the car," Hoffman said before finding out police had found the vehicle. "I really want those back."
In March, Hoffman's daughter died in a crash on Highway 75.
"The 18-wheeler hit her 80 feet forward into traffic and a car ran over her body," she said.
Her daughter's name was Leah Daniels. She was only 29 years.
"The Lord loaned her to me for 29 years and the time was up," said Hoffman.
Hoffman hand-picked her daughter's urn.
The Garland Police Department was investigating this case. The department said a gun was also in the vehicle that they are hoping to recover. As of Thursday's update, police have not said if this weapon was still in the car.
