The family of a Costa Mesa teen killed in a car accident is distraught that a memorial to him has gone missing. A number of personal mementos marked the spot, and now all that stands is a single potted plant. Mother Monica Soto pleaded to whoever took the items, to return them, no questions asked. Vikki Vargas reports from Costa…
Someone stole flowers, a Bible and more from a roadside memorial shrine to an Orange County teenager who died in a car crash, the teen's relatives said Monday.
Friends and family members set up the shrine near a Costa Mesa intersection where Luis Adrian Torres, 19, crashed his car and later died June 16.
The theft occurred sometime Sunday, shortly after the shrine was set up, said the teen's mother, Monica Soto. In addition to flowers, photos and candles, several of Torres' personal mementos left at the shrine also disappeared.
"I lost my son," she said, crying. "Those are his things. Just return them, no questions asked."
Torres was scheduled to be buried on Tuesday.
The shrine had previously been under fire by some local residents, who wanted it removed from the sidewalk. Torres' family had to take down the shrine last week, but then received permission on Saturday to put it back up.
