The McLellan family say they have now lost their mother twice after her cremated remains were stolen.
Relatives say the ashes of Mary "Betsy" McLellan were in a small beige box in the back seat of their sister's car, labeled with her name.
LATEST: Car and Mother's Ashes Found
"It's a tough time for all of us. It's not easy when you have a loved one die. So this is devastating," Donna McLellan said.
The 2005 Ford Taurus with Oregon license plate 717CQL was parked at the Stater Brothers store in La Mirada around 6 p.m. on Thursday when the car was stolen, according to sheriff department officials.
According to the family, the sister driving the foam green, 4-door car had been having dinner with another sister, Sandy Harris, who worked in the store.
"She went to go leave and she couldn't find her car," Harris said.
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"Betsy," as the family called her, was the matriarch of a family of five, mother to two sets of twins, and a loving grandmother.
She died in August of stomach cancer, less than a month after she was diagnosed. Mary McLellan was 75.
"How do you describe your best friend going? Mom, you know look what the kids did today, you know, she's just an awesome mom," Harris said.
In a similar case in October, a duffle bag containing the ashes of Betty Weikert was stolen out of a car at a Woodland Hills mall parking lot. The family was planning to honor her final wishes by entombing them in Delaware near her late husband's remains.
Several days later, security guards at the Westfield Plaza Shopping mall near Owensmouth Avenue and Erwin Street found a duffle bag lying in the parking lot with items that had been stolen, including the remains.
The ashes were returned to the family, and the McLellans hope for a similar outcome in their case.
"Please bring them back here, if you would like anonymously. Bring them back here. Leave them on the door step. I don't care, just bring our mom back," McLellan pleaded.
There are no suspects in this incident.
Detectives from the Norwalk Sheriff station are looking at all evidence including surveillance video to gain any clues.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Norwalk Sheriff's Station at (562) 863-8711.
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