Harvey family's home ransacked by burglars during holiday vacation: 'Scared and traumatized'

HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) -- A south suburban family was welcomed home from vacation to quite the mess.

When the Winters family returned home to Harvey from Missouri, they were met with shattered windows and a house that had been ransacked. Christmas gifts and even jewelry belonging to their late grandmother had been stolen.

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"They tried to break one window. I'm guessing it didn't work for them, so they tried another window. There's multiple windows broken. We just saw a broken window and everything just gone," Ceminya Winters said. "Even our identification, TVs, kids' game systems, even some of their Christmas presents. My mom passed away not too long ago, and they took a lot of things that can't even be replaced."

Winters said this type of crime continues to be an issue around her neighborhood, and her daughter doesn't feel safe living there anymore.

"She didn't even want to stay here because she's scared and traumatized," Winters said. "They took a lot of her stuff."

It adds to what is already a stressful holiday season for Winters as she says she's been working hard to support her family.

"I'm already struggling to get me and my kids to have a good Christmas trying to get us to have a good life and it's always a setback," Winters said. "Some type of setback."

"I make cakes and I sell them, and like, trying to rebuild, it's going to be very difficult for me," she added.

A spokesperson for Harvey police confirmed they are investigating the burglary. No one is currently in custody.