A woman has made an emotional appeal for the return of her precious family jewelry, which was lost in a McDonald’s parking lot during a moment of distraction.

Maila Villafuerte drove from her house at No. 1 Road and Steveston Highway Saturday morning around 7:30 a.m. with her husband, en route to a family wedding in Washington State.

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Villafuerte had placed the jewelry – most of which was passed down through two generations of her husband’s family – into a small white/silver organza bag, with plans to wear it all at the wedding.

But it was when the pair stopped off at McDonald’s in Ironwood for breakfast, that her day took a turn for the worse.

“I was fiddling around with my phone and looking for a McDonald’s coupon. I got distracted and I think I must have had the jewelry pouch on my lap somewhere and it fell off when I got out the car,” explained Villafuerte.

“It was only when I got to the U.S. border line-up that I realized it was missing. And we couldn’t turn back then.

“Once over the border, we searched the car and called McDonald’s. They said they sent someone out to look and nothing. We came back here Sunday and nothing had been handed in.”

Maila Villafuerte says her family jewelry was in a bag like this one. Alan Campbell photo

In the bag, said Villafuerte, was a pearl/diamond necklace, two pairs of diamond earrings and a white gold cross with a diamond.

“Most of it came from my mother-in-law and from her mother-in-law before that…it’s a family heirloom,” said Villafuerte, now fighting back the tears and voice cracking.

“The value is around $6,000 to $7,000, but it’s more about the sentimental value.

“I know there is still a lot of really good people with big hearts out there. Please, bring it back to me, it’s so important to me.”

This pearl/diamond necklace was one of the family heirloom items lost on Saturday in the McDonald's parking lot in Ironwood. Photo submitted

Villafuerte said she’s willing to offer a reward for the safe return of her family jewelry.

Anyone with information, can email her at v.maila@yahoo.com.