For 47-year-old Jamal Newman, a little Shih Tzu named Cody is more than a family pet. He’s his closest companion, and now his mother is desperately trying to bring him home after the dog was taken outside a Philadelphia store.
Diane Newman says Cody disappeared on Sunday, October 18, after her boyfriend briefly stopped at a corner store in North Philadelphia. Surveillance footage reportedly captured two people walking away with the dog, leaving a family heartbroken and a son repeatedly asking his mother when his best friend will return.
A Christmas Surprise That Became a Special Friendship
Diane first brought Cody home after rescuing him and decided to give him to Jamal as a Christmas surprise. What began as a thoughtful gift gradually turned into a close friendship that became an important part of Jamal’s everyday life.
Diane told CBS News Philadelphia that the connection didn’t happen immediately. Both the family and Cody needed time to adjust, but eventually, they grew attached and welcomed the little dog as one of their own.
Jamal has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. His mother explained that he was struck by a truck when he was six years old and spent time in a coma afterward. Today, Diane helps care for him because he cannot walk.
Communication can also be difficult for Jamal, and Diane says that people who know and love him are the ones who understand him best. Cody became a particularly important companion in his life, offering the kind of friendship his mother knows he deeply values.
Cody Disappeared During a Quick Store Visit
The family’s routine changed when Diane’s boyfriend brought Cody along to a neighborhood store near West Berks and Van Pelt streets. Because dogs weren’t permitted inside, he secured Cody to a pole outside while he went in to make a purchase.
By the time he returned, Cody was gone. Surveillance video obtained by NBC10 Philadelphia reportedly showed two individuals leading the Shih Tzu away from the storefront.
For Diane, learning that someone had taken Cody was especially upsetting because she knew how much the dog meant to Jamal. Cody wasn’t simply another pet in the household. He was the companion her son had grown to love and depend on.
A Mother Refuses to Stop Looking for Cody
Since Cody’s disappearance, Jamal has continued asking his mother whether she has found him. Every time Diane leaves the house and returns, he hopes she will have news about his missing companion.
Diane shared with CBS News Philadelphia that she has done everything she can think of to locate Cody. The ongoing search has been difficult for the family, but she remains determined to keep looking.
Speaking with NBC10, Diane explained that the situation has taken a toll on everyone at home. Even with the uncertainty, she has made it clear that giving up on Cody is not something she is willing to do.
Her determination comes from knowing how important the little Shih Tzu is to her son. Diane has spent years caring for Jamal, and she wants to restore the companionship that Cody brought into his life.
One Simple Request From a Loving Mother
Despite what happened, Diane says she isn’t interested in judging the people who took Cody. Instead, she hopes they will understand the situation and choose to return him to the family that misses him.
She recognizes that people make mistakes and wants whoever has Cody to know that bringing him back is what matters most. Her message is focused on her son’s need for the dog who has become such a close friend.
As of the October 21 reports, Cody had not been confirmed home, and Diane was still searching. Her request to whoever took him remains simple and deeply personal.
“Can you please bring my son his dog back?” she asked CBS News Philadelphia.
For now, Diane continues hoping that Cody will return to the family that welcomed him one Christmas and grew to love him. Most of all, she wants to be able to come home and finally tell Jamal that his beloved dog has been found.
This content was created with AI assistance and edited by the iHeartDogs team.
Toledo, United States.