TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Kansas teen is in the hospital Sunday after her insulin pump was stolen from her car, Tylynn Cross’s family wrote Sunday on GoFundMe.
On Dec. 10, the 19-year-old had her car stolen in the Lawrence Home Depot parking lot. Cross received some donated pumps after the theft, yet none have worked for her, according to an update on the fundraiser website. She’s now been admitted into the hospital’s intensive care unit.
The same night her car was stolen, the Cross family noticed her debit card had been used at the Topeka Fat Shack, for three separate transactions. The family reached out to the owner, who supplied them with a video of who they believe to be the thief. The Topeka Police Department released photos from the Fat Shack footage, and on Thursday announced that it arrested the suspect. The suspect’s name has not be released at this time.
“She was wearing my jacket that I had given Tylynn, she was holding Tylynn’s keys with her long key chain, you could clearly see that she was holding Tylynn’s purse and had her debit card in her hand,” said Tylynn’s Mother, Casey Cross.
Because the debit card was used in Topeka, Lawrence police referred the family to the Topeka Police Department. The Cross family previous expressed frustration to KSNT News about how their case has been handled.
“Anytime we try to get information or give them information that we have we just kind of get brushed off,” Casey said.
When Tylynn reached out to TPD in an attempt to explain the importance of her insulin pump, she was left with more questions than answers. Tylynn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes this year. Her mother says it was up and down with her diabetes until she got the insulin pump, a $17,000 device. She had two ICU stays before getting the life-saving machine.
According to Tylynn’s mother, the vehicle stolen was a 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara. It has a South Dakota plate numbered 8D0010. If you have any information about the car, please reach out to local law enforcement.
