Brittney Conway's parents suffer crushing new blow after Gold Coast toddler swallowed a battery and died
The parents of a three-year-old girl who died after swallowing a battery have been dealt another cruel blow after an alleged thief stole from her grave.
Brittney Conway lost her brave fight for life in Queensland Children's Hospital in July 2020 - three weeks after she ingested the button battery which became embedded in her body.
Her parents Lorraine and David Conway, who live on the Gold Coast, had attached a glass box to her grave with a tiara inside in memory of Brittney
The precious keepsake locked inside the box, was allegedly stolen from her grave at a Mudgeeraba cemetery.
Ms Conway said the stolen item was a reminder of how much she loved her little girl, who adored tiaras and dressing up.
'We just wanted her to know she was our little princess,' Ms Conway told 7 News.
The shattered mother expressed her frustration at the alleged thief, adding that the tiara was irreplaceable.
Brittney Conway (pictured) died at the Queensland Children's hospital on July 28, 2020 - three weeks after she ate the button battery, which became embedded in her body
'I was so angry to think that that somebody would [allegedly] take something so precious from us or even her,' she said.
Locals have rallied behind the distraught family and have offered to donate money by a new tiara.
'I've had a gentleman who wants to donate a $1,000 reward,' Ms Conway said.
The couple first noticed the missing tiara last week.
'What dirty low life dogs to steal my daughter's tiara from her lock box on her grave,' Ms Conway fumed on Facebook.
Hope you get haunted forever!
'We will get you a new one but this one was sat on her final bed before we laid her to rest.'
Ms Conway described her daughter as a girl who was courageous and full of life.
'She was a vivacious little girl, whether she fell off a bike, she would get back on,' she said.
She urged the alleged thief to return the stolen tiara.
'I don't hate you, but please just take it back to her,' she said.
Brittney's mother Lorraine Conway (pictured) expressed her frustration after the tiara was allegedly stolen from her daughter's grave on the Gold Coast
Queensland Police are understood to have been made aware of the incident.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Queensland Police for further comment.
Brittney first started showing symptoms several weeks before she died after she had a sore throat and began to vomit repeatedly.
She also began to have nose bleeds and experienced terrible chest pain before she was taken to the doctor to have the symptoms checked out.
Doctors had previously told Ms Conway that her daughter may have had food poisoning or could have contracted a virus.
Ms Conway rushed Brittney to Robina Hospital after she found her several days later unconscious and lying in a pool of blood at home.
The tiara had been placed inside a locked glass box which has been attached to Brittney's grave (pictured)
The toddler underwent a nine hour surgery to remove the battery after doctors found the item in her chest when they conducted an X-ray.
She was later taken to Queensland Children's Hospital for another surgery, but died eight days later.
Button batteries are small disc shaped items, which are used to power common household objects such as watches, remote controls and toys.
The batteries can cause severe injuries and even death among young children if they are ingested.
Parents of children aged 0-5 are urged to keep button batteries out of sight and reach.
