CLEVELAND — Workers from a Cleveland area non-profit that helps children and families in crisis are reeling.
This comes after their beloved co-worker's car was stolen from their parking lot in the middle of the day.
They're now working together to help her—all while trying to track down the crooks responsible.
Beverly Mitchell's parking spot at the Providence House in Ohio City has sat empty for weeks.
"Why? Why did this happen to me? It's just so wrong," Mitchell said.
The Cleveland area grandmother and mother of four works as a childcare giver at the crisis nursery.
Her co-workers say you can't tell through "Miss Bev's" calm and kind demeanor, but her world has been turned upside down.
"My babies keep me going here. Everyone prays to God to get me here," Mitchell said.
Back on May 23 around 4 p.m., her prized 2017 black Hyundai Tucson which is always parked right next to the building and steps away from the backdoor--was stolen right out of the lot.
Despite multiple, visible security cameras at different angles—crooks moved in.
They were captured on surveillance video breaking out the window and driving off with her car.
It happened while staff members were inside caring for the children.
"It enrages me! How dare you? These are people working so hard to support this community and you're gonna take from them," Natalie Leek, President and CEO of Providence House, said.
Miss Beverly and her co-workers say the most infuriating part of this incident is that it happened mid-day in the typically busy parking lot.
They say the crooks were brazen.
There wasn't a moment of thought about the location, the property, or the work they do to support families in Cleveland each day.
They credit a good Samaritan right down the road who spotted Mitchell's paperwork scattered all over the place.
That person called Providence House and alerted them to get down there immediately.
"A man who was on his front porch said he had seen a group of three men. They had another car with them. They had stopped right by his house and dumped a bunch of stuff on the tree lawn," Kim Cummings, Providence House Supervisor on Childcare Floor, said.
A few days later while out searching for her missing car—Mitchell got a call from the police.
They located her heavily damaged car dumped in a lot near East 59th Street.
The back passenger window was smashed out.
The steering column was ripped away and the license plate was gone.
The catalytic converter and critical engine components were stolen as well, making the car undrivable.
"It hurt my heart because I worked hard for that car," Mitchell said.
Cummings has started a GoFundMe to help Mitchell with repairs.
She says her strength has been admirable.
"When somebody is in pain in our family, we all feel it. So we immediately just tried to support her," Cummings said.
"The support that I have here at Providence House is wonderful," Mitchell said.
Despite the financial burden and trauma, Mitchell's co-workers say she has never missed a day of work.
To add insult to injury, Mitchell says the crooks stole her granddaughter's car seat and wrote "Kia boys" on the inside roof of the car.
They're working to help cover the cost of repairs and pay off the car since Mitchell only had liability coverage.
To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.
If you have any information on the suspects, give police a call.
