Police have arrested a 24-year-old woman
April 29 2019
A woman has been charged with 'trying to scam grieving parents out of $1000' as their beautiful baby girl lay dying in hospital.
The devastated parents of Amiyah Windross had asked for help to find their lost mobile phone containing precious memories as she was given just days to live. Mum, Dee Windross, left her Samsung Galaxy S8 phone in a toilet cubicle at Melbourne's Chadstone Shopping Centre on April 20, and her husband made a desperate plea on social media to have it returned.
But as Amiyah lay in hospital with her parents holding a 24-hour vigil next to her bed, a woman texted her dad, Jay Windross, claiming to have the missing mobile and asking for $1,000 in cash to return it.
'As we were spending time with Amiyah (and) beginning to say our goodbyes to her, I received a text message from someone claiming to have Dee's phone,' Mr Windross posted to social media.
'While trying to spend every emotional minute with Amiyah and giving her all of my attention, I'm also responding to someone claiming to have our phone with all the memories of her.
'This person continued to message me into the night while Dee and I were having our final moments with Amiyah.'
Mr Windross contacted police, who investigated the woman who allegedly claimed to have the phone.
A 24-year-old woman was charged with blackmail and will appear at the Ringwood Magistrates' Court later, the Herald Sun reported.
'...It was interrupting my final moments with my dying daughter,' said Jay.
'We cannot begin to explain the hurt and emptiness we are already feeling, but to get this news has just broken us even more. This is not fair.'
Little 11-month-old Amiyah died from an un-diagnosed neurological condition and spent most of her life in hospital battling with her health.
EARLIER NEWS:
An 11-month-old Melbourne baby girl has tragically died just days after her parents heart-wrenching plea to find a stolen mobile phone containing photos of their dying daughter.
Jay Windross, the father of baby Amiyah Windross, posted an emotional tribute to Facebook sharing “with utter sadness” the loss of his precious daughter.
“Amiyah’s last hours were spent peacefully and calmly, cuddling in Mummy’s and Daddy’s arms,” he said.
“Amiyah battled hard and fought an undiagnosed neurological issue from the day she was born.
“Her strength, her courage, and her unrelenting fight was on display from her first breath, all the way till her last.”
Jay, Dee and Amiyah/Facebook
