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Tablet Contains Final Memories Of 8-Year-Old Killed In Crash

By Jennifer Brice

MORGAN COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A Morgan County Sheriff's deputy is asking whoever stole his 8-year-old son's tablet to give it back - no questions asked. It's filled with priceless videos and pictures of the little boy who died in a crash last month.

Brent Mahagan says his leg and arm will heal, but his heart will not. The father and son were driving to a wrestling match when they got into a car accident in Morgan County the Saturday before Christmas. Austin did not survive.

Austin's mother, Cambria Mahagan, says some days it still doesn't seem real that their child won't be coming back.

"You still wake up and hope he'll run around the corner," said Cambria.

STOLEN TABLET
CBS4's Jennifer Brice interviews Brent and Cambria Mahagan (credit: CBS)

The family truck ended up at an impound lot in Fort Morgan. A thief broke into the lot through a hole in the fence and stole Austin's tablet out of the truck. That tablet has precious memories the family desperately wants back.

"It's not theirs. It belonged to our little boy. He's not here anymore but it was his and we want it. We want those memories. We want those video, those pictures," said Brent.

Friends and family have launched a Facebook page "Supporting the Mahagan Family" which is also raising awareness about the theft and asking for the tablet back. The page has gotten thousands of likes and shares.

Cambria says the support from their community has been heartwarming. Now she just hopes the person who stole the tablet will have some heart too and return their memories.

"Candid videos of him (Austin) talking to himself, or his sister, that's why it means so much to us. We just want to hear him, his voices the way he was and how we remember him," said Cambria.

austin mahagan
Austin Mahagan (credit: CBS)

Dad says the videos from the tablet were not backed up and the pictures and videos are their last memories of Austin, "That's our little boy in that tablet and someone stole him again, from us, and I know they didn't know what they were taking but that's his heart and soul in that tablet of him being him."

Austin's family has filed a police report for the theft of the tablet. The serial number will be tracked if someone tries to pawn it.

Jennifer Brice is a reporter with CBS4 focusing on crime and courts. Follow her on Facebook or on Twitter @CBS4Jenn.

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