Lake Wales community steps up to help 11-year-old boy who was robbed selling candy for school fundraiser
LAKE WALES, Fla. - After word spread that an 11-year-old boy was robbed in downtown Lake Wales while selling candy for a school fundraiser, local business owners turned the traumatic situation into one of selflessness and kindness.
Jessica Garrett and her mother, Cathy, are co-owners of The Ranch Coffeehouse and Viola Vines Boutique on E. Park Ave.
RELATED: 11-year-old robbed of fundraising money while selling chocolate in Lake Wales: LWPD
The backstory:
During the afternoon of April 25, they saw and heard a commotion on Stuart Avenue. They found out that an 11-year-old boy selling chocolate had been robbed. Store surveillance video captured the 18-year-old suspect, Isaiyah Cabrera, passing by on an e-bike.
"Isaiyah asked our victim how much money he'd made, and the little boy told him he had $107," said Lt. Dale Hammond.
Hammond said Cabrera then snatched the money, which was inside a white envelope, from the boy's pocket before he fled on his e-bike.
Local perspective:
Jessica said it was heartbreaking to see the traumatized boy.
"He was very upset," she said. "He'd just been interviewed by the police officer, and he was just like, 'I'm never [selling candy] again. I'm never doing it again.'"
The mother and daughter decided to give away $110 of their own money to help the boy recover what he lost.
Dig deeper:
On April 29, Cabrera was arrested. Detectives said he admitted he had a gun on him during the robbery, but he didn't use it. He was charged with robbery by sudden snatching with a firearm, violation of probation and carrying of concealed weapon.
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Big picture view:
The Garretts said they wanted to show the boy there are people out there who care.
"To see a kid upset like that, how do you not help him, you know?" said Cathy. "Sometimes you just don't know a little act of kindness can turn somebody around."
The Lake Wales Police Department also helped to sell his remaining candy for his school fundraiser.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Carla Bayron.
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