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Copper plumbing ripped from basement of home meant for young victims of sex trafficking
Copper plumbing ripped from basement of home meant for young victims of sex trafficking
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- It was a smash and grab -- on Mother's Day! It happened at a residence that will help victims of sex trafficking! What the suspects took was worth far less than the damage they caused to the home.
There are plans in the works to make the residence into a home for children who are victims of sex trafficking.
"We want to give them somewhere to come. We can house eight to 10 children here," Anisha Addison -- the president of "New Path" said.
New Path is a transitional living program for young people between the ages of six and 18 who have fallen victim to human trafficking.
New Path provides stability and structure for young people affected by human trafficking -- while at the same time assisting them to achieve academic success and teaching them life skills that are necessary to become strong, independent adults.
"We are a huge transfer spot between Minnesota and Illinois for human trafficking," Addison said.
New Path is working on getting a home ready that will serve as New Path's first "transitional home."
The renovation has been going on for weeks, as Addison has been collecting donations that will help to fill the home.
"We had a significant amount of furniture stored downstairs," Addison said.
Hundreds, if not thousands of dollars worth of furniture was being stored in the home. New Path was getting ready to open the home on June 1st.
But on Monday, May 12th, there was a phone call. There was a break-in at the home.
"My mind was going -- it's going to be the worst. There is going to be structural damage," Addison said.
The thieves came into the home through one of the windows, and headed downstairs. But it wasn't the furniture they were after.
"Ripped out the copper pipes in the basement," Addison said.
The thieves stole several yards of copper plumbing currently worth about $2.50 a pound at the scrapyard.
They tore out the copper and left through the home's side door.
Water filled the home's basement -- and was more than a foot high before anyone noticed.
Nearly everything being stored in the basement was ruined.
"Completely waterlogged and moldy and cannot use anymore," Addison said.
But this is the kind of lesson Addison has taught young people for years.
"If you stay positive -- there may be setbacks, but if you keep pushing through, you can overcome anything," Addison said.
New Path is reaching out to the community to help replace some of the items they lost.
Donations can be mailed to:
New Path
P.O. Box 4875
Milwaukee, WI 53204
CLICK HERE to learn more about New Path.