SURPRISE, AZ — A West Valley mother says a little more than two months after losing her son in a crash, she's feeling another level of pain.
Jennifer Newman spoke with ABC15, making a plea to the vandal who she says keeps destroying her son's memorial.
"I hold pictures. I look at pictures and actually sleep with a blanket and pillow off his bed because it had his smell on it,” said Newman.
Doing that, she says, has helped her sleep better since the holidays.
Bryce Burgess died two days before Christmas last year in a motorcycle crash.
"I honestly spent two weeks wearing his dirty clothes because it had his scent and it gave me a little comfort,” added Newman.
Surprise police responded to the crash where Burgess' motorcycle and another vehicle collided near Bell Road and Avenue of the Arts.
The 19-year-old's mom happened to go to the scene and found police investigating.
"It gives me anxiety. I have had panic attacks because I picture in the dark police cars, blockades, and driving up on the scene,” added Newman.
As of Tuesday, police say charges are pending as the Maricopa County Attorney's Office investigates.
Newman says she is also looking for answers after she put up a memorial three weeks after Burgess' friend created one.
"I made a post with his name, and pictures and put more flowers similar to the one that is up now,” added Newman.
She says someone keeps destroying it.
"When that first happened, I was thinking well, maybe it could have been the city or property management,” added Newman.
Newman told ABC15 the city has had no issues, and the same goes for the owner of a nearby shopping center where the memorial is located.
"Every time it gets pulled down, it is like my heart gets broken further and further and further,” added Newman.
She says she has replaced the memorial five times.
"After the second time, we were like, this is getting kind of crazy. Who knows what's going on? Teenagers, vandals, or whatever because they were not knocking things over or vandalizing. They were taking things completely away,” added Newman.
The grieving mom set up a camera that recorded a portion of a person who, she says, tampered with the memorial.
Newman has often wondered why someone would go to the intersection over and over to remove the tribute to her son. But, now she says, the ‘why’ doesn't even matter.
"I don't know who it is. I don't know what they're doing it. To be frank, at this point, I don't even know if I care. I want it to stop,” added Newman.
