Travis County woman asking for mother's ashes back, after they were stolen

She lost her mom seven years ago, and now after losing her dad just weeks ago, this Christmas, will be a lot different for Lauren Schultz.

“They're both off where they need to be, I know that,” said Schultz.

Her parents lived in a southern Travis County home in the Shady Hollow neighborhood for thirty years. Schultz kept her mom and dad's ashes here to keep a tangible connection to them. Wednesday night, she says someone broke in.

“These people went all the way through the house, into the bedrooms, into every drawer, bypassing barking dogs, and took something very weird, something very personal,” said Schultz.

They took her mother's ashes that were placed on a mantle in a cedar box.

“She's going to be so mad at me. I feel like she is,” said Schultz.

She says the thief also stole a coin collection, a laptop, and personal documents belonging to her mom and dad. But why the ashes? “I just feel sick to my stomach. I just, I don't know, how stupid are you”? said Schultz.

The Travis County Sheriff's Office is on the case.

The break-in has some neighbors who knew and loved the elderly couple, on edge. “I was just amazed someone would take something as personal as ashes,” said Jackie Goodfellow, next-door-neighbor.

This family doesn't care about coins, laptops, and other materials.

Schultz just hopes whoever stole this piece of her heart, can return it. “She's out there, and she's tough so I’m hoping she'll find her way back. I'm hoping there's enough humanity left, at this point that's very debatable,” said Schultz.