MILWAUKEE — Citlali Valdivia should have been spending her first Christmas with her baby, but after losing her at 24 weeks pregnant, Valdivia was left with only an ultrasound. Then, after experiencing what she said was "one of the worst Christmases," she doesn't even have that.
Valdivia discovered her car had been broken into while she and her partner were preparing to deliver gifts to family members on Christmas morning. The thieves took her purse, wallet, perfumes and other items, but what devastated Valdivia most was losing that last ultrasound photo of her daughter, whom she named Carolina.
"I started instantly crying, because nobody wants to hear that on Christmas Day," Valdivia said.
When Valdivia was 20 weeks pregnant, she was told Carolina had anencephaly, a condition where the skull doesn't fully develop. After the pregnancy loss, Valdivia carried the ultrasound photo in her wallet as a keepsake.
"That ultrasound was definitely special, because it was the last ultrasound I had of her at her 20-week anatomy scan," Valdivia said. "It showed her face. From here on down, she was perfect. It was just her skull wasn't formed."
The ultrasound strip contained multiple images showing Carolina's feet, hands, face and other features. One photo showed the baby pressing against Valdivia's stomach with a nurse's notation reading "Hi, Mommy."
"Now I don't have that keepsake of hers. I don't have that memory of her that I never got to have in the first place," Valdivia said.
The thieves completely removed her car's tinted window to gain entry. Valdivia, who works full-time and has been saving for the car since age 16, said she can replace the material items but not the ultrasound photo.
"You guys could have just taken the cash. You guys could have just taken the gift cards, the perfumes. I didn't care about that — that's replaceable," Valdivia said.
Valdivia called 911 immediately after discovering the break-in. She's now asking the Milwaukee community to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity.
"Just have compassion," Valdivia said. "If you see something suspicious in your neighborhood, just be vigilant. Call 911, call your neighbors."
The stolen wallet is described as a pink Steve Madden wallet that folds into three flaps with a side zipper. The ultrasound photos were kept in a small pocket inside the wallet.
Valdivia's family encouraged anyone with the ultrasound to return it anonymously to a police station or other safe public location.
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