Tricycle stolen from 11-year-old girl with autism in Whittier

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- An 11-year-old girl with autism is heartbroken after her tricycle was stolen from her Whittier home on Friday night.

"Somebody took it," Hope Kidder said.

About four months ago, Kidder's grandparents saved up to buy the tricycle for $400 on Craigslist after a teacher told them it would help her. Hope struggles with health challenges.

Her grandmother Rachel Kidder says the tricycle gave Hope not only a sense of freedom and happiness, but also helped her socialize.

"It's for her. It's one great successful thing she's got going for her right now," Rachel Kidder said.

The family had left the tricycle in front of the garage at their home on La Forge Street with all the other bikes, but when they got up Saturday morning it was gone.

"That was our big ticket, because we would ride through the mall...to the gym, to the park. It was a benefit for both of us," said Rachel Kidder, who hopes the thief will return the tricycle no questions asked.

Family members have set up a GoFundMe website to help raise money to buy another tricycle.