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Eden Rose Robinson, 5, of Longview holds a photo of herself with her favorite doll, Sarah, stolen from her front yard last Sunday afternoon. Greg Ebersole / The Daily News

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To little Eden, Sarah is far more than just a doll

Sunday, July 20, 2008 12:09 AM PDT

By Carrie Pederson

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Eden Rose Robinson, 5, has trouble going to sleep at night without her favorite doll, Sarah.

"She'll play with other dolls, but she doesn't want nothing to do with them at night," said Bob Robinson, Eden's father.

Since the doll disappeared from the family's front yard on the corner of Seventh Avenue and Hudson in

Longview last Sunday afternoon, Bob said he has been listening to his daughter cry at bedtime every night.

Sarah is more than just a doll to Eden, her parents say.

"It has sentimental value to her, what that doll has gone through with her," Bob said.

Eden's parents gave her the doll after a surgery to repair her teeth from tooth decay three years ago, said Dena Robinson, Eden's mother.

After the surgery, "she wasn't herself for a good three days," Dena said. Eden bonded with her new doll. They just lay in the bed and watched TV.

Since then Sarah has helped Eden brave nightmares and cope with the loss of a family member.

"The doll went everywhere with her. We couldn't go anywhere without Sarah coming with us," Bob said.

The family has searched the neighborhood streets and parks for Sarah. "I drive through hoping I'll see another kid playing with her," Bob said.

He made a heart-felt plea in a lost and found ad in The Daily News on Friday. "Maybe you thought it was just a doll," he wrote. "I am asking whoever may have her to please return her, no questions asked.

"Maybe you could not afford one and your child needs a doll," he wrote. "I will gladly purchase one."

Dena said she was touched by a stranger's the act of kindness when she responded to the ad with a new doll for Eden.

Dena said Eden has tried to be happy about new dolls but she wants her favorite doll back.

Last seen, Sarah was wearing a red velvet dress with white lace and in a pink stroller with red hearts.

"I don't care about the stroller. I want Sarah back," Eden told her father. "I miss Sarah."

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98626 wrote on Jul 20, 2008 5:41 AM:

" Is this news? Every child on the planet has lost a toy. Perfect time for the little girl to learn one of life's golden rules...if you value it, take care of it. I am not heartless, but come on TDN...is this the best you got? "

Blogger Jogger wrote on Jul 20, 2008 9:11 AM:

" You know, this could be a case of a dog running at large dragging the stroller off and chewing on it. Just in case, and who knows, this has probably already been done, take a long thorough walk through every street and ally way in about a 20 block region. "

MOLE wrote on Jul 20, 2008 9:30 AM:

" BUY ANOTHER SARAH "

dingbat wrote on Jul 20, 2008 10:06 AM:

" RE: "98626" How can you say you aren't heartless? I think you should be a bit ashamed of yourself! Is this the best TDN's got? I hope so! 30 years ago when I was 5 I lost my best friend the same way. It was a stuffed Curious George and did I ever miss him and cry for him for several weeks. "MOLE" has a good idea though if the parents can pull it off...if you can't match the exact clothes just say that whoever took her must have changed her. Maybe you could just let Sarah reappear in the yard one morning. It sounds like Eden is as attached to Sarah as I was to Curious George so I feel for her. My parents couldn't find another George exactly the same as mine at the time. In fact, it wasn't until I was 17 that my dad finally found one at the Goodwill. Just wanted to throw that in because it's not often that I get a chance to tell about it. "

Tortoise wrote on Jul 20, 2008 11:36 AM:

" Sorry, but I agree with 98626. This almost sounds like a parody news article you'd read on The Onion. Precious column inches for this? Wow. "

im_not_saying wrote on Jul 20, 2008 12:11 PM:

" Please, give a 5 year old a break. She's not high income, and this doll has truly been her friend. The previous heartless, unkind, uncaring posters truly show the few rotten apples that spoil the normally good bunch of folks here. The family would like her returned and it's a small column in a small newspaper, on obviously a slow news day. If you don't like it, don't read it. Go buy a different paper, or read a book. My kids have lost things close to their hearts but not as close as this doll is to Eden. Eden - As the father of a little girl, she and I both hope you find your friend. As far of the rest of you - I suggest you buy a dictonary and look up compassion, as that is as close as you will get. "

Tortoise wrote on Jul 20, 2008 12:30 PM:

" No one here is attacking the five-year-old. I think some of us are just surprised to see this as a supposed news article. I guess it's kind of a "human interest story" but I think it falls short of even that. "

Quarter4MyThoughts wrote on Jul 20, 2008 1:36 PM:

" If only things like this were the only worries we had in life! I dont know about anyone else, but I would rather read the paper with an article like this in it, then read about another murder, or another type of crime that has happened in our community! I understand peoples "been there, done that, so whats to write about?" type attitudes, but when you think about the alternatives we could be reading, this is certaining a nice change. As for Eden, I sure hope you can find your friend Sarah! I will definately keep my eyes open for you! "

bucko wrote on Jul 20, 2008 1:42 PM:

" Sad story, but has no place on the front page. Lately it seems that TDN has been putting real sappy stories on the front page. Interesting perhaps, uplifting occasionally, but it seems that it's at the expense of real news. If you look at the comments on here, these human interest stories get no attention. But other "negative" stories attract massive feedback. Channel 12 out of Portland is always scooping TDN on local stories. I've seen stories appear on tv and then appear in the paper two days later or not at all. "

Mrs. Pellwerds wrote on Jul 20, 2008 2:04 PM:

" I lost my keys once. "

im_not_saying wrote on Jul 20, 2008 2:35 PM:

" When you post comments like "Buy another doll" and "if you value it, take care of it" you are attacking the child. What is she supposed to do, tie it to her wrist? She left it outside in her yard, probably no longer than 10 minutes. Some "addicted person" (since I can't put what I'm thinking here) probably stole it for the metal in the stroller. That is what upsets me is that probably someone knows who took it and is heartless enough to not say anything about it. Hopefully she will have her doll returned. "

Tortoise wrote on Jul 20, 2008 2:55 PM:

" Mrs. Pellwerds: hahahahahahahaha! "

Rosey Glasses wrote on Jul 20, 2008 4:05 PM:

" For my sister it was her Mrs. Beasley doll. Whoever took this doll whould have the heart to give it back! And those that have posted the rude comments here, man oh man, I hope you or your children never loose something that takes your/their nightmares about something away. I think this is just the way for this father to find a way to reach someone that knows where this little girls doll is. And how rude of someone to take this out of their yard... when I first moved to this area, someone stole my oldest son's diamondback II from my back yard. I found a kid riding it a year later and paid to get it back. It was stolen again later, but he replaced it with a better one. People just don't care anymore what they take and many of the reasonings just give me a heavy heart. "

writegirl wrote on Jul 20, 2008 4:30 PM:

" Those who are posting negative comments clearly are not parents of small children and have probably forgotten their own childhood toys and dolls which they once loved. I can remember leaving my blanket at a relative's house and realizing it halfway home, and my parents turned around and drove two hours back to get it because they knew I couldn't sleep without it at night. To quote 98626, perhaps they should have just told me to tough it out and not miss out on a "Perfect time for the little girl to learn one of life's golden rules...if you value it, take care of it". Give me a break people... the little girl loves her doll and it disappeared, and she misses it! When people take out ads in the paper looking for lost dogs and cats and post flyers all over the neighborhood, nobody tells them to "buy a new pet". I am sick and tired of all the cynical, negative, and yes, HEARTLESS people in this town. HAVE A HEART! I hope the girl gets her dolly back. "

Louie wrote on Jul 20, 2008 6:14 PM:

" Ditto... Mrs. Pellwerds is too funny. Kids loose thing all the time. Whether it is lost or stolen they have to learn lessons the hard way sometimes...it is part of growing up and learning to deal with loss. Not everything has to be replaced and this doll is just one example of over-indulgence...just my opinion. "

DUH wrote on Jul 20, 2008 8:06 PM:

" To all you people posting your negative and sometimes rude comments... After reading this story, I am sure that the doll meant as much to that little girl as your cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles mean to you. So I have this to say to you... If you ever have one of the above listed items stolen from you, do yourselves, and the rest of us a favor... Don't report it, don't cry about it, and for God sakes don't expect TDN to do a write up on it because I, (along with many others) don't want to know about it, don't want to hear about it, don't want to read about it and wont care about it! You people should be ashamed of yourselves. And you wonder why the world is so screwed up. It's no wonder if thats how you teach your children to act as they are growing up. "

just a mom wrote on Jul 20, 2008 9:52 PM:

" what a bunch of heartless jerks!!! Go see this little girl and look into her eyes while she tells you her heartache of losing something so precious to her. Have a little empathy towards a child, she is not an adult, quit expecting her to act like it by "getting over it". sheesh people!! "

Anonymuse wrote on Jul 20, 2008 11:16 PM:

" There really are some heartless people out here in Internetland. How dare people be so heartless! Would you be saying the same thing if it were someone's child disappearing, I think not! To this little girl the doll was probably her best friend in the whole world....

RE: LOUIE - Do kids loose things all the time? I think not, sorry they might "lose" them. Now if your shoelaces are loose, you might trip and fall on your face... "

bucko wrote on Jul 21, 2008 2:59 AM:

" Sorry, it's still sad, but still not news. And yes I do have two children, one of which is still near this girl's age. And yes it would break my heart if she went through something like this, but it's still not a front page story. "

grandie wrote on Jul 21, 2008 7:22 AM:

" i'm not sure how the tdn picks their stories, but about 2 years ago my son was in a very bad car crash up in seattle. and he had to move back HOME, he was in a wheel chair had a brace on his arm. he really could do nothing for himself, and had no money. so i thought call the paper to see if they would do a story and set up an account to help him out.they never called back!!!! "

LviewLocal wrote on Jul 21, 2008 8:23 AM:

" Really people, why are you so upset that they put this article on the front page? I was actually thinking the opposite when I read it, I thought, it's great of TDN to do something like this for this little girl. I'm the mother of a small child, and I feel for her parents; having your child cry themselves to sleep at night because of someone's careless action would be awful. I hope the person that took Sarah feels terrible. And please people, get a life, you complain so much about TDN, yet are on here everyday posting; what does that say about you? "

berryjewels wrote on Jul 21, 2008 11:36 AM:

" you guys are rude. that is a five year old little girl. wouldnt you be hurt if you lost something that you had since you were 2? i know i would. "

pinky wrote on Jul 21, 2008 11:51 AM:

" Seriously people??? bickering over an article??? I can see both sides.. do I really think we need an article over a 5 year old that lost a toy (unless it was a family heirloom)....I got my tricycle stolen when I was younger this this girl, yes I still remember it, yes I was heartbroken, but you know what? I NEVER left my toys laying out in my front yard after that. I feel for the little girl, I really do, but the parents should take this opportunity to teach their child a lesson in life, instead of pleading for the community to placate their child! "

greenbean wrote on Jul 21, 2008 12:26 PM:

" I thought this was a really cute story. I sure hope she gets her doll back. My snoopy doll was chewed up by a neighbor dog when I was little, and it was very traumatizing. Instead of "using the opportunity to teach me a lesson" as some of you suggest, my mom sent him to the "stuffed animal hospital", a local doll maker, who remade him with the help of some pictures. That is something I will always remember, and I still have snoopy today - 30 years later. And for all of you complaining it's not "news", the Daily News gets to decide what they print and where, it's their paper. "

mole wrote on Jul 21, 2008 4:41 PM:

" writegirl,so true it is.I drove 35 miles one way in weyerhauser,during elk season, to find miss piggy,my son is now 32. THE DAILY NEWS,should print this,the paper is for the people of longview,not the world.There are plenty of news channels,try canada's news check thier slant on the world. "

Flamingo wrote on Jul 21, 2008 8:52 PM:

" Mrs. Pellwerds: I've been wanting to say this ever since I read your first comment several weeks ago. First, I love your username...very clever. Second, you always bring a smile to my face. Thanks for the chuckles. I'm glad someone has a sense of humor. Life's too short to take everything so seriously, like some of these folks. Keep the funny comments coming. "

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