Mum's Diamond Ring Sold For $10
A mother is devastated after her husband sold the ring at a garage sale while she was in hospital after having their fifth child.
12:21pm Thursday 13 June 2013
Racquel has appealed for the return of her wedding ring. Pic: KABC-TV
The $22,000 diamond ring. Pic: KABC-TV
A mother-of-five has been left devastated after her husband accidentally sold her diamond wedding ring for $10.
Racquel Cloutier, 31, was in hospital after the birth of her fifth child when her husband Eric decided to get rid of some unwanted household items at a garage sale.
But he was unaware that his wife had been storing her precious ring - worth around $22,000 - in an old watch box he decided to sell.
Mrs Cloutier went into a panic when she discovered the ring was gone on her return home four days later.
She told ABC News: "I go into my husband's closet, can't find the box, and then he tells me he sold it."
"I said, 'You sold it? What do you mean you sold it?' I immediately started crying."
Mr Cloutier, from Laguna Niguel, California, said he feels "really terrible" about the accidental sale.
His wife said: "Every year our community holds a garage sale. I was in the hospital, I just had a baby, so my husband thought it would be fun for my other kids if they could sell some things at the garage sale.
The sale took place in the Cloutiers' California neighbourhood pic: KABC-TV
"He didn’t know that before I went to the hospital, I put my ring in that box. I wanted the ring to be in a safe place and out of reach from my two-year-old twins."
The box was apparently bought by a blonde woman - and the couple hope she will now return the ring.
Fighting back tears, Mrs Cloutier said: "I'm very, very, very upset. I'm trying to remain optimistic but I don't know anymore. There's a small chance whoever bought the box doesn't know the ring is in there.
"I would never, ever keep the ring if I had found it. If you're honest, you’'e honest. Clearly, the ring was in the box by accident."
