Grinch steals displaced family’s Christmas presents

When a small kitchen fire burned a few cabinets in Matthew Brownfield's home Friday night, he figured he was lucky because the damage could have been worse.

But when he returned Saturday morning, it was in fact, worse.

“We came back this (Saturday) morning and the place had been ransacked,” he said.

The father of four said his house in the 1500 block of Bever Avenue was the target of a burglary.

“The Red Cross put us up in a hotel for three nights, so we left our house right around 2 (a.m.),” he said.

When the family came back to clean up the damage from the fire, they found a broken door and a home torn apart. Among the items gone were the family's TV, Nintendo Wii system, and all of their Christmas presents.

“I was overwhelmed, we already had the fire, and then to come back, I just felt violated,” Brownfield said.

“I feel sad, and it hurt my feelings,” said 11-year-old Katelyn Brownfield, the oldest of the two Brownfield daughters.

The Brownfields said they haven't yet told their 7-year-old autistic son, Jeremiah, what happened. For Matthew Brownfield, that will be the hardest part of the whole situation.

“He won't understand why someone took his presents, he won't understand why someone ransacked the house, he just doesn't have the ability to comprehend that,” he said.

Cedar Rapids police are investigating the case. A “Brownfield Fire and Burglary Benefit” fund has been set up, and donations can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank location.