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Family asking for help finding boy’s stolen prosthetic leg

Posted at 6:34 AM, Mar 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-04 06:59:01-05

BelleVille, IL (KMOV) — A Metro East family is asking for help finding a boy’s prosthetic leg that was stolen out of a car Thursday night.

Karen Stephens told News 4 her daughter’s car was broken into in Belleville Thursday night. Among the items taken was a plain black backpack with a prosthetic leg inside.

The stolen prosthetic leg belongs to her grandson, Josiah, 3, who was born without a leg.

According to Stephens, the prosthetic leg’s hip area is yellow and has minions, and the foot had a red tennis shoe on it.

“Nobody would really have use for it. We’re hoping nobody would want to sell it or do anything like that. We’re just hoping somebody saw it and realized they can’t do anything with it and tossed it out to the side,” said Stephens’ daughter Brie Rainey.

The family has checked ditches thinking it may have been tossed out and looked through dumpsters. They even looked in trashcans at a MetroLink stop in East St. Louis because Rainey’s debit card, which was also stolen, was used there.

“They’re extremely expensive. $10,000 so it doesn’t come cheap. Probably a three-month process, he has to be fitted, specially made for him,” said Rainey.

Stephens said on Saturday the family is overwhelmed by the support of the local community in the search for her grandson’s missing leg. She also said Josiah will return to Shriners of St. Louis for care if his leg is not returned to him.

Josiah’s prosthetic leg was last seen in a black backpack with a yellow hip bucket with Minions characters on them and a red tennis shoe on the foot.

Anyone who knows the location of the leg is urged to contact the Belleville Police Department.