Lehigh Acres bus stop bench to keep children safe was stolen, parents say

The makers of a bench, meant to keep children safe at a Lehigh Acres bus stop, said someone stole it.

“We’ve worked so hard to get it out here,” said Santos Garza, who lives in Lehigh Acres. “Now it’s gone.”

A bench bandit may be to blame for leaving Santos and Amy Garza’s bus stop in Lehigh Acres bare. The mother and father of three young children bought, built and painted the bench at the end of the last school year.

“We just wanted to do what we could to help,” Santos said. “It hurts our hearts to hear all the stories about the other kids and we can’t imagine losing a child of ours, especially in that way.”

But last week, they noticed it was missing from its corner at Charwood Ave. S and Grant St. Santos said all they feel is sadness.

“You know we put that out there for a reason,” Santos said. “You know what I mean?”

With dark streets, no sidewalks and speeding cars, the Garza family said that bench was there to save lives.

The group, Benches for our Babes, has placed about 400 similar benches at bus stops around Lee County. The group told WINK News there had not been any reports of benches being stolen so far. But the group said if nobody returns the bench, it will replace it.

The Garza family is asking whoever took their bench to bring it back to their children’s’ bus stop.

“Please return it,” Santos said. “Please bring it back here.”