Parents asking for help after suitcase with son’s ashes were stolen at Charlotte Douglas Airport

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A heartbreaking plea Monday night from two parents who say their son’s ashes were stolen Saturday from baggage claim at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

“I just don’t want my son to end up in a landfill or something, you know. So we just want to bring our boy home,” mother Ann Diehl said.

David White, who lives in Chester County, had just returned from Michigan after his 29-year-old son Cody White’s sudden death.

David had packed the cremation box in his checked-in luggage. He says he required wheelchair assistance after landing, which he believes gave the thieves enough time.

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“By the time they got enough people to come and get us downstairs, my luggage was gone,” David said.

The parents say the thieves were able to quickly grab the luggage with the ashes off the carousal and make their way out of the exit.

“They saw a guy and lady leave there with luggage. They caught a cab there. They told the cab they left their luggage and had to get their luggage. The cab driver dropped them off at the airport, they came in, grabbed two luggage and went out. The reason we found out is because they didn’t pay the cab driver,” David added.

The cremation box is a black box with a white sticker with Cody White’s name on it. It has ‘USA’ on the handle. There is also a red, blue and silver symbol.

“If that was their child, they would want someone to bring it back to them,” David said.

They are holding on to the hope of getting their son back home.

“If everybody could check dumpsters, just their field, their backyards, their trash cans, anything like that because they’re just going to take what they want and they’re gonna leave the rest and just pay attention,” Diehl said. “Just take it to a fire station, police station, drop it on somebody’s porch.”

David did file a police report with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The incident report lists everything that was stolen in the suitcase.

If you have any information, call the police.

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