This man's ashes were stolen from his mother's trailer. She wants them back

A Labrador woman is pleading for her son's ashes to be returned after they were stolen from her family's trailer in June.

Sheila Cooper of North West River stores the ashes of her son, Jon,in a skull-shaped pot. But nearly three weeks ago, on June 21, she discoveredsomeone had entered the trailer, stealing food, bottled water, a candle, a blanketand Jon's ashes.

"To have somebody take your child's ashes? That's a whole new level of I don't understand," Cooper told CBC News on Monday.

"If you're hungry and thirsty, come see me. But with his ashes gone, I did call the RCMP."

Cooper said police surveyed the scene using a police dog and took DNA samples to try to identify the culprit but so far the culprit has not been identified.

Jon Cooper died of fentanyl poisoning after using laced cocaineat a concert in 2022, Sheila said. He was 36.

In a Facebook post this week about the stolen ashes, shesaidshe's been reliving the emotions she felt after hishis death.

"When my son died I couldn't save him. And then with his ashes, it's like I lost him. That's how it feels. It's like I lost him," she said.

Cooper has dedicated her time to speaking about the dangers of overdosesince Jon's death, working to provide safe-use kits to people and businesses in Labrador.

LISTEN |Labrador Morning's Rhivu Rashid speaks with Sheila Cooper:

Labrador Morning11:24How would you feel if the remains of your loved one were stolen?

Sheila Cooper of North West River lost her son Jon to a drug overdose two years ago.She kept his ashes in a skull-shaped pot inside her camper, right in front of a framed photo of Jon. Over the weekend, someone stole the cherished keepsake.She speaks with Labrador Morning host Rhivu Rashid.

She remembers her son as a caring person who loved to traveland hopes her familywill be reunited with his ashes soon.

"I wish that that person would just please put those ashes somewhere where they can be found," she said.

"I'm OK with letting things slide if I just get my son's ashes back."

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