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A cruel prankster has tried to blackmail grieving parents who lost their phone containing images of their baby girl who died just days ago.

Melbourne couple Jay and Dee Windross sadly lost their 11-month-old baby girl, Amiyah, last week after a battle fighting a terminal illness.

A woman contacted the couple claiming she had their stolen mobile phone which contained photos of their daughter but wouldn’t return it unless she was paid $1000.

Victoria police found the man and confirmed he had never been in possession of the phone.

‘Dee and I were furious, to begin with, but we’re now absolutely devastated with this news. Our hearts can’t deal with any more,’ Mr Windross told 7News.

“Through interrogation, it was found that this person wasn’t the person who had our phone. They had seen our desperate situation, seen we had no problem paying a reward and used that to their advantage. It was a hoax! Not only was it a complete and utter waste of my time, it was interrupting my final moments with my dying daughter.

“We cannot begin to explain the hurt and emptiness we are already feeling, but to get this news has just broken us even more. This is not fair. I was originally trying to find compassion for this woman and the possible situation she might be going through to take this desperate step to embezzle money, but now I am sickened that this would actually be a thought in her mind, let alone act on it.

“This lady will have her day in court tomorrow and we hope she receives the largest of punishments possible. You are a pathetic excuse of a human and you deserve what’s coming.

So, we’re back where we were. We are still desperate to find our phone as it’s still out there somewhere. Please keep sharing this around to keep the awareness out there!!”

The woman who pulled the heartless prank was identified today in Ringwood Magistrates’ Court as 24-year-old Siti Nurhidayah.

The mother of two was charged with blackmail for the attempted deception.

The parents made a plea which went viral after the phone was stolen from Chadstone Shopping Centre on Saturday.

‘Someone has picked up Dee’s phone from a toilet next door to Target in Chadstone around 5:30pm,’ Mr Windross wrote in a Facebook post.

‘It is a Samsung Galaxy S8 with a purple cover. Our 11-month-old daughter is currently deteriorating in ICU and is in her last days with us and this phone holds all our memories of her.

‘We understand that you have either found a new phone to use, or you can sell it to make money, but please understand that this means more than money to us.’

‘No questions asked. No grudge held. We beg you as grieving parents not to wipe the phone,’ he said.

‘This phone holds the memories of what little life our daughter has had.

‘If you want the phone, we’re more than happy to arrange to meet, we’ll copy the photos off the phone and you can keep the phone. What is on the phone is worth more than anything in our life.’

‘If you have the phone, or know of its whereabouts please drop the phone off to reception at Monash Children’s Hospital or any information desk at Chadstone,’ Mr Windross said.

Our hearts go out to the grieving couple. RIP Little Amiyah x

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  • Im confused. Article says a “Woman” contacted them to say she had the phone but then it says the police found the “man” and that he had never had the phone. Are we missing part of the story here??

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  • Some people are just horrendous!

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  • This is not a prank. This is a vile act of a woman who has no sense of decency or humanity.

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  • Unbelievable that anyone could be so heartless.

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  • I really hope they get it back!

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  • This is so cruel. I can’t comprehend someone thinking up such a scheme. This family have been through so much already.

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  • How can anyone be so heartless. Beyond belief. RIP little angel.

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  • Why would anyone do something so cruel like that

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  • That was a very cruel act by someone with no heart. Feel sorry for her children if their so called mother is like this. I’m also glad that this thoughtless woman was named so everyone knows how heartless a person she is. I pray that the phone is returned to Dee and Jay with all the photos they took of baby Amiyah soon.

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  • I can’t get over the fact that someone would do something so horrible, let alone a mother doing it. How would she be if it were her loosing all those precious memories. I hope they find the phone, especially now after such a tragic loss.

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  • What a hideous and vile act, no matter your circumstances. Just not decent human behaviour and no sympathy for this woman. However, the phone is still out there somewhere. You would need to be living under a rock to not have seen this story. Someone needs to do the decent and humane thing and return the phone.

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  • Absolutely disgusting made worse that she is a mother as well. She doesn’t deserve kids if she can do this to anyone let alone grieving parents.

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  • Terrible that’s just horrible what this couple have been through and for that women to do what she did I’m glad she got charged and I hope this couple find their phone

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  • Cannot believe how anyone would try to get money from these poor people. At the same time, I can’t believe how you would leave your phone behind when you know it has all your photos on it.
    The phone would never have left my hands.


    • I really can’t believe you said that the poor mother probably had to rush out to get somethings and wasn’t thinking as she had her daughter on her mind and just forgot it these things happen and doesn’t give the right for someone to steel it and do what that mother did and black mail
      I’m sure you forgot a thing or 2 being a mother I know I have

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  • That is the lowest of lows. I’m glad that animal was charged. Disgraceful. I so hope they find the phone.

    Reply

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