Heartless thief steals lifesaving oxygen from sick baby boy
A Perth mother has been left devastated after a heartless thief stole oxygen bottles her sick baby boy needs to live.
TeKoa Timu was born premature, spending the first seven months of his life in a critical condition in intensive care.
The now 21-month-old requires daily oxygen from cannisters to keep him alive, but yesterday morning a man was caught on camera stealing his supply from out the front of their Kwinana home.
“It’s not a normal theft, it is lifesaving equipment – he needs it,” TeKoa’s mother Madison Dobels told 9News.
In security footage, a white sedan is seen stopping in the quiet cul de sac, where a man exits and runs towards the family’s home before returning moments later with the six tanks.
TeKoa only goes without oxygen during fortnightly visits to Perth Children’s Hospital.
When he was born, he could last just 45 seconds without it. Now – he can still only manage 15 minutes before he turns blue and starts to wheeze.
His mother orders oxygen twice a week so TeKoa has enough supply. The bottles are regularly swapped out and luckily the stolen cylinders hadn’t yet been replaced.
Ms Dobels wants the thief to come forward and return the cylinders they took.
“I don’t think he’d be aware. I can’t imagine someone knowing a kid’s on oxygen and taking it,” Ms Dobels said.
“You wouldn’t be human and if he did know there are no words other than an oxygen thief.”
