Donation Jar Mystery Cleared Up

At first it seemed like an incomprehensible crime. How could someone steal money intended for a baby girl who just lost her father?

It would have been-- if it were true.

Patricia Batista had placed this donation jar inside the queen grocery, just a half-block from where Franklin Manuel Santana was murdered last week.

Batista says she wanted to do something to help Santana's wife and newborn daughter.

"I said you know what, she's got a baby to take care of, all by herself, there's no dad now. I know it's a struggle, my daughter is a single mom," she said.

Donations trickled in-- about $65 by Sunday night, which Batista collected. She returned the next night to check on the jar. But she says a store clerk told her it was gone.

"He said someone picked up the jar. And I said, are you serious? I was like, you got to be kidding. He said no, somebody came in here, and said they come to pick up the jar."

Batista thought someone had stolen it.

But when Fox 29 showed up at the store Wednesday morning, the owner showed us the empty donation jar.

She had put it away, because she says donations had slowed to a trickle, and she needed the space on her counter.

The bottom line, at least when it comes to this tragedy, is you won't have to come to this corner store to contribute to the donation jar anymore.

There is an official bank account now established in the baby's name. You can go to any td bank and make a contribution.

When at the bank, say you want to donate to account 4268990160, the Roxanne Benefit Fund.