In a bid to recover his 4-year-old autistic daughter's cherished doll, a desperate father in Havana has announced a reward. The doll, a hard rubber Cinderella figure, holds significant emotional value for the girl, helping her with daily activities and restful sleep. The toy was recently lost in the Santa Fe district of Havana, and the family is appealing for assistance in locating it.
Jesus, the girl's father, shared the situation on Thursday in a Facebook group called “Help for Mothers,” using the account of the girl's mother, Suly Rodríguez. He explained that the doll fell from their car while driving on 5th Street between 294 and 3rd C, near a produce stand in a garage, close to the Santa Fe polyclinic. Unfortunately, due to her autism and communication challenges, the young girl couldn't make her parents understand what had happened right away.
"My daughter is autistic and relies on that little doll for everything. She even covers it with a blanket to sleep. When it fell out of the car, she tried to get out and retrieve it, but we didn't understand what was going on and stopped her. Since then, she hasn't stopped crying and couldn't sleep until 3 AM," Jesus explained in the post.
The family provided specific details of where the doll was lost, along with photos, hoping someone might help return it. “Please, if anyone found it or gave it to someone else, we ask you to return it. We're willing to pay a reward, but what's most important is for our daughter to have it back,” the father added.
To facilitate the doll's return, the family has shared contact numbers: Jesus at 59162020 and Suly at 53397012.
The outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming. Annie Zúñiga González, for instance, offered to donate a similar doll from her daughter's collection, stating, “I have the same one because my daughter collects princesses. I can give it to you without any problem. I'm from 10 de Octubre,” which the parents received with heartfelt gratitude.
In their response, the parents expressed deep appreciation for Annie's kindness but noted they had already received nearby offers: “Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts. A mom wrote to us last night with a similar offer, but she has a two-year-old and a seven-year-old. We felt bad taking it because we know those girls need it too. Luckily, another mom close to us offered one her daughter no longer uses, and we will pick it up,” they explained.
Additionally, a young woman in Texas offered to purchase and send an identical doll to Cuba, filling the family with hope: “We are immensely grateful to all those who have reached out. God willing, our little girl will have a doll just like hers today. May your daughter enjoy her collection, and don't worry, truly, thank you, thank you, thank you,” they wrote emotionally.
Social media has become a platform for people seeking help with various challenges. Just this Friday, a group of blood donors rallied to save a 24-year-old woman from Pinar del Río diagnosed with leukemia, needing at least 20 blood transfusions every five days. This support was mobilized through a call for donors with O+ or O- blood types.
Recently, an image of a man eating food off the ground in Santiago de Cuba sparked outrage on social media, with independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada urging authorities to address this and similar issues in the city. In his Facebook post, Mayeta Labrada stressed the need for intervention by partisan, governmental, and Provincial Health Directorate authorities in Santiago de Cuba.
Community Support for Autistic Child's Missing Doll in Havana
What happened to the autistic girl's doll in Havana?
The doll, a Cinderella figure of great emotional importance to the autistic girl, fell from the family's car in Santa Fe, Havana, and was lost.
How is the community helping the family?
Community members have offered similar dolls and support, with one woman in Texas even offering to send a replacement doll to Cuba.