Custom bike stolen from yard of boy with cerebral palsy

A Winnipeg mom is asking for the public's help after her son's custom-made bike, which gave him freedom he hadn't experienced before, was stolen from their West End home this week.

Nine-year-old Shaden Boston has cerebral palsy and used the red three-wheeled bike to get around.

The bike was swiped from his family's front yard on Tuesday night. The lock was cut from the front steps.

"I just went inside to get a drink of water, and then I come back out and it was gone," Shaden told CBC News on Wednesday.

"My two brothers went on their bikes to try and look for it, and we haven't found it. And I was just shocked that someone had stolen it."

His mother, Rochelle Richards, said the family had saved up money for months so they could buy the special bike for Shaden in May.

"I'm angry that somebody robbed him of his independence, of his freedom, of things that we've worked so hard to give him," she said.

'I hope they're ashamed of themselves'

Richards added, "The bike meant so much because Shaden was diagnosed with CP at [the age of] two and he's never been able to ride a bike. He's got two older brothers that get up and go, and it's heart-breaking for him to be left behind."

Shaden even underwent surgery to lengthen his tendons so he could ride a bicycle.

"So excited to ride a bike for the first time," he said, as he showed the scars on his legs. "And then it got stolen."

Richards has started a GoFundMe page in the hopes the family can raise $2,000 for a replacement, but Shaden said he'd like to have his original bike back if possible.

"I hope they're ashamed of themselves," he said of the thief or thieves.

Shaden describes his bike as a red three-wheeler with "cool skate stickers" on it. His family is asking anyone who sees it to call police.