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Inside the stolen bags was Caryn’s wallet, phone, car keys and the outside component of Annie’s cochlear implants (the ear pieces and the part that attaches to the side of the head behind the ear.)

“All the lockers around us were open. That’s when I realized my (car) keys were in my bag,” she said.

Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG

Caryn said Annie was a little baffled by the theft and watched as her mom dashed out to the parkade, while recreation centre staff kept an eye on the kids. There were also other members of the deaf community there that had driven in from Vancouver for the lessons.

Sadly, the family’s 2014 Mazda 5 was missing and a busy Saturday turned into a painful one with waiting, calls to police, meeting cops and arranging a ride back to Vancouver.

“Annie’s reaction was bafflement more than anything,” Caryn said.

Annie is one of about 300 children in B.C. who have had cochlear implant surgery. Annie had hers at age three after getting a late diagnosis that she was profoundly deaf. The implant processors are worn all day and taken off for sleeping or any time in the water.

Caryn said sign language was crucial to Annie and her family as it offered a primary language that they had all learned — making them a “bilingual family.”

“It’s terrible that there was a theft, but even though she had cochlear implants it’s important in moments like this that she has sign language. That we have a language with her. American Sign Language is very important for kids with cochlear implants,” she said.