We have an update tonight on a story we brought you yesterday about a local disabled girl whose specially made tricycle was stolen. It was taken early Wednesday morning but by the end of the day it was found, and one man was arrested. Now the tricycle is back with its rightful owner, a little girl named Adriana with cerebral palsy.
With the help of our viewers and social media police were able to catch the suspect. Someone saw the story we aired on last night's Channel 2 News at 5pm. And when they saw a suspicious person with the tricycle downtown they called police, and the rest is history.
It was a heartfelt reunion Thursday as 5-year-old Adriana arrived home from school and was reunited with her once stolen-tricycle. This was her first time riding the trike since getting it back alongside her sister and dad, Kristoffer Pfalmer. “It's just absolutely incredible that she has it back today,” said Pfalmer.
A woman, who didn't want to be identified, says she spotted a man, 25-year-old Taylor Farnsworth with Adriana's tricycle downtown. She called Secret Witness, and Reno Police arrested him. Farnsworth was booked into the Washoe County Jail last night and faces charges for possession of stolen property. “Just because there's one bad apple, doesn't mean that there's not 50,000 other people out there that are good people and they want to help,” said Pfalmer.
It was grim story that changed dramatically in less than 24 hours - and on Thursday morning, Adriana's father told the entire story on radio station 103.7 The River.
He told Panama, the radio host about how Reno Police responded and how Adriana's grandparents showed up to the scene. "So my dad drives up and is like 'There's a tricycle! They got the guy! Woo hoo!"
"That's awesome!” said Panama.
"So they gave me a call and they said 'We found the tricycle' and I thought 'What? You found the tricycle?' and they go 'Well, we didn't find it but the police did and Channel 2 News and the citizens of Reno-Sparks.'"
Radio host Panama brought Pfalmer onto the show to raise money to get a new trike if Adriana's was never found. Reno-Sparks AMBUCS customizes and supplies AmTrykes like hers, to people with disabilities. But now there's a new plan in place, to help someone else. "At first it was just all about us and getting our trike back, but now towards the end it became about everybody else that could use help from this organization,” said Pfalmer.
It's like a domino effect…
"I've worked all over the country. There's no place like here. The way they come together and just the way social media came together and made it happen. The baby got her bike back!” said Panama.
If you'd like to help with funds to build another bike for a disabled child in need, you can contact Reno-Sparks AMBUCS through Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/northernnevada.ambucs?fref=tsYou can also email, nvambucs@hotmail.com for more information.
