London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Mum devastated as thieves steal £4,000 worth of Christmas gifts she saved for

Mum devastated as thieves steal £4,000 worth of Christmas gifts she saved for

A mum who saved all year for Christmas is devastated after thieves stole presents worth £4,000, including some meant for her severely disabled baby daughter.

Courtney Farnell, 21, went all out for the festive season as doctors are unsure how long 16-month-old daughter Minnie-mae will live.

The little girl was born with cytomegalovirus, which means she suffers from brain damage, epilepsy, muscle stiffness and a number of other issues.

Courtney says she lives every day in fear that it could be Minnie-mae’s last and wanted to give her daughter the ‘best Christmas a mother could give’.

On December 23, Courtney took her baby for a 30-minute drive to calm her down as she was struggling to settle.

When she returned to her home in Morley in Leeds, West Yorkshire, at around midnight, she found her home had been turned upside down and all her presents stolen, including a new £700 Xbox.

She said: ‘It’s so heartbreaking. I’ve worked from when I was very young for it all to be taken away from us just before Christmas.

‘We came through the front door. I got Minnie out of the car and went closer to the house. I could see all my belongings everywhere.


Minnie-mae has Cytomegalovirus


Ms Farnell wanted to give her disabled daughter the ‘best Christmas a mother could give’


‘All of the presents were gone. Everything I’d gotten for my family, for my daughter. They didn’t just steal from me – they stole from my baby girl.

‘I couldn’t believe it. My daughter is severely disabled and I don’t know how long she’s got left and now she could spend Christmas with nothing. It’s not right.

‘I worked all year to buy the presents and it’s so important for me that she knows she has everything for Christmas.

‘I just wanted to give her the best Christmas a mother could ever give her daughter. I don’t feel like it’s my home anymore. It doesn’t feel right.

‘Even if we replace the items they’re not our items. I’ve worked so hard to get to where I am, it feels awful for someone to just take it all away from us like this.’

Police have launched an investigation into the incident, as people rally around the family to ‘save Christmas’.


She returned home to find her belongings strewn all over the place


Police are investigating the case


Kindhearted strangers have raised more than £2,000 to replace the stolen gifts.

Courtney said: ‘I want to thank everyone who has helped and donated. It has made our Christmas. It saved Christmas. We had nothing.

‘As I work full-time caring for Minnie-mae there was no way I could replace any of the gifts, let alone everything else that was stolen.

‘But everyone who has shown us all of this support has shown us the true spirit of Christmas.

‘We are so overwhelmed and I want everyone to know that they’ve made my baby girl so happy.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×