SUV thieves leave boy's family in dire need of help
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A hard-working family is asking for your help. Someone stole their family's SUV, a vehicle they rely on to transport their 3-year-old son and his wheelchair.
The Padron family parked their olive green GMC Envoy in the parking lot of their southwest Houston apartment complex.
Then on the morning of June 28, the vehicle was nowhere to be found. It was stolen. Their son Nathan's wheelchair was inside.
"The worst part was my kid's wheelchair, that's the only way he has to move around, that's the only way we're able to take him from place to place," said Jose Padron, Nathan's father.
Then, less than two weeks later and 40 miles away, the Wharton Police Department shared photos on their Facebook page of a wheelchair they'd recovered. They were looking for the owner and asking the public for help.
In the meantime, they also checked the wheelchair's serial number and with that, were able to locate the owner. The wheelchair belonged to Nathan.
"The Wharton Police Department, they did an excellent job," said Padron.
The family is beyond grateful to have the wheelchair back. The only issue now is they are still missing their SUV, something the family desperately depends on for Nathan.
"To take him to the hospital, to the clinics, to take him to store," said Padron.
Padron says since the SUV was stolen, they must now use an unreliable old work truck to take Nathan to therapy.
Not only is there not enough room for Nathan's wheelchair, there's also not enough room in the truck for a family of six.
"That's the only space that we have for that wheelchair. Right now, I just have my work truck and it's not a very good work truck, and it's just limited space for the six of us and a wheelchair on top of that," said Padron.
The GMC Envoy has a Texas plate of CY4-P543.
If you have any information call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS or HPD auto theft at 713-308-3500.
