Teen Says He Took Milton Holocaust Memorial To Give As 'Gift': PD

MILTON, MA – Police in Milton are seeking charges against a local teenager who allegedly said he took a Holocaust memorial sculpture from Milton Cemetery to give to his friend as a "gift." The sculpture, "Myriam's Memorial," was reported missing from the cemetery in September of 2016.

Police found the sculpture – which depicted a child's hands inside two Stars of David – in November. It was made by Waltham resident and Holocaust survivor Fred Manasse as a tribute to his late sister, Myriam, and the 1.5 million children killed in Nazi Germany during World War II, the Patriot Ledger reported.

Police are pursuing charges of destroying or defacing a grave or memorial to the dead and larceny over $250 against the Milton teen, now 19 years old. His name is being withheld pending formal charges, police said.

In a press release, Milton police said the teen has cooperated with police. Though the disappearance of the sculpture caused "unrest for not only the creator of the monument, but also those living in Milton and more specifically, the Jewish community," it is not believed to have been motivated by anti-Semitism, according to police.

"With the recovery of 'Myriam's Memorial,' hopefully those wounds will continue to heal," police said in a statement.

Image via MPD