Family of local COVID victim searching for missing wedding rings

TEMPLE, Texas (KWTX) - Jessica Cruz says her mother’s wedding rings are missing after she died at Baylor Scott and White with complications after testing positive for the coronavirus.

Cruz says her mother, Anita Deleon and several others in their family tested positive for the virus and were all recovering at home, but Deleon’s illness lasted weeks after everyone else recovered.

“She’s never been sick like that in her whole life,” Cruz said

She went to her mothers house to help her get into an ambulance at the end of July when her condition got worse, not knowing she would never return.

“I was walking her out to the stretcher and I was holding her hands and I could feel her rings in my hands,” Cruz said.

After spending a few days at Baylor Scott and White, she says her mother developed blood clots and lost brain activity.

Cruz went into the hospital to take her off life support and say goodbye, but when she saw her for the last time she realized she wasn’t wearing her wedding rings and they weren’t in the bag with her other jewelry and belongings.

“We looked everywhere, I mean everywhere, just in case,” Cruz said, “At this point I don’t know that we’ll ever get them back.”

She says she’s called the hospital about the missing jewelry but so far nothing has been turned into the lost and found.

Her mother’s husband bought the rings from Montgomery Ward in 1996, and still has the receipt.

She says they’re searching for a photo of the rings, hoping someone at the hospital can find them.

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