Dorothy Barron speaking inside the mausoleum where her son's memorial is located. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

STOLEN PROPERTY

‘It chips away at your heart’: Kamloops family seeks items stolen from mausoleum memorial

Jun 2, 2021 | 4:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — While visiting her son Brennan’s memorial at Hillside Cemetery last week, Dorothy Barron and her daughter Payton Comazzetto realized something was wrong — the display had been broken in to.

“It had been opened and things were moved around. There were items that didn’t belong to him and his Game Boy and Pokemon game were stolen,” explains Comazzetto.

Dorothy and Payton say the discovery felt violating. It was particularly disappointing as the family visited the mausoleum after attending a funeral that day for Dorothy’s mother.

“It just chips a little bit away at your heart when your heart has already been broken and can’t be mended from losing a child, and then to have somebody violate this — that’s pretty personal.” Barron adds that she hopes the individual or individuals who stole from the mausoleum make better decisions in the future.

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“I just don’t understand why anyone would choose to rob a grave.”

Brennan died in 1999 after he was hit by a drunk driver. Ten years old at the time of his death, he was extremely interested in video games. For the family, the items weren’t significant for their monetary value, but served as key pieces in Brennan’s memorial.

“Putting it in there was really something to send him off with, like he still had something that he loved,” explains Comazzetto, “so having that taken away was really bizarre.”

The memorial display in the mausoleum is one of many ways the family tries to honour Brennan’s memory. Payton is also the organizer behind Brennan’s Ugly Sweater Run — an annual event that has raised more than $40,000 for local charities.

After the theft was discovered, a report was filed with Kamloops RCMP, pawn shops were notified to keep an eye out for the items, and a post has been circulating on social media. The family hopes someone will recognize the items for sale somewhere, or whoever took them will bring them back.

Brennan’s Game Boy from the display (Image Credit: Payton Comazzetto / Facebook)

“I hope they see this, and I want to let them know that I forgive them for doing it; I hope they can forgive themselves,” notes Barron.

Barron adds that while they have been approached by well-meaning residents who wish to donate a replacement Game Boy for the display, they are grateful for the offer but want to keep the display contents to Brennan’s personal items.

Parks and Civic Facilities Manager Jeff Putnam says in an email to CFJC that cemetery staff were saddened to hear of the theft.

He adds that City of Kamloops has not experienced any significant vandalism or thefts from the mausoleums in the past, but will be reviewing options to improve security within those spaces for the future.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call Kamloops RCMP at (250) 828-3000 or Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 222-8477.