Jewelry

Mom Tries to Sell Jewelry to Give Daughter a Good Christmas. Her 'Buyer' Leaves a Family Devastated - Independent Journal Review

April Vancleave is a 33-year-old mother to a 6-year-old little girl.

According to KHOU 11, Vancleave had one mission this holiday season, and that was to raise enough money to be able to purchase her daughter some Christmas gifts.

In order to raise some extra money, the loving mother started selling her jewelry on an app called 5miles. The app is similar to sites like Craigslist.

As KHOU 11 reports, Vancleave found a buyer and they planned to meet at an Arlington, Texas, Target, on December 15th.

However, when Vancleave and her husband arrived at the store, the person never showed up. Vancleave and her husband eventually left the store and Vancleave’s husband dropped his wife off at their apartment complex.

What her husband didn't know, was that they may have been followed by who their family believes to have been the alleged buyer. Below is a video of the men police think has a connection to the crime:

Vancleave “was targeted, robbed and killed in broad daylight.” Sergeant Vincent Pewitt tells KHOU 11:

“A struggle ensued and she was robbed and murdered in the apartment complex.”

According to KTLA, Vancleave was shot and later died from her injuries at a local hospital.

However, the Arlington Police Department has not yet confirmed that the assailant who targeted Vancleave is necessarily the same person she met online. They do point out, however, that Vancleave took proper precautions when making arrangements to meet the stranger.

As KHOU 11 reports, not only did she set up the meeting in a busy, public space during the day, but she brought someone along with her. The Arlington Police Department offers suggestions on how a person can make an in-person exchange even safer:

• Take precaution and use common sense.
• Use “Safe Exchange Zones” with surveillance cameras watching the area.

Image Credit: Screenshot/CBSDFW

In a statement to KHOU 11, a spokesman for 5miles said that they are working with the police in order to assist in any way possible:

“5miles takes user safety and security very seriously. Our online Help Center offers users safety tips, while the 5miles app is the first of its kind to include a Safe Exchange Area Locator within the app to help buyers and sellers find the nearest police station or public safety center. The mission of S.E.A.L., as we call it, is to get more cities and towns across the North Texas, the state, and nationwide to work with 5miles to bring more safe exchange areas—surveilled, well-lit—to more people in more communities.”

Vancleave is survived by her husband, daughter, parents, and multiple siblings.

One of her brothers, Mark Vancleave, says she was just trying to be the best mom she could: “She loved her baby and she had done the best she could for her.”