Woman who lost brother, home in fire repeatedly re-victimized

MILWAUKEE -- An April 10th fire killed 37-year-old Glenn Walker near 38th and Meinecke and now, family members say they continue to be victimized. The fire killed Chris Walker's brother and forced her out of what had been her home for more than three decades. What came next was a series of burglaries, coming as the family continues to grieve from the loss of their loved one.

"(The house) has so many memories. Me and my brother used to roller skate in the attic," Chris Walker said.

Walker says following the fire at her home that killed her brother, the home was broken into, her car was broken into and even the memorial to her brother on the front steps of the home was taken from. "(My brother) died on Tuesday. I got her Wednesday morning at 11:15 and the house had already been broken into, and then they got me that night at like, 3:30 in the morning. Then, they got me that morning before noon," Walker said.

"They had opened the cabinets and the Kleenex was gone, and I'm thinking 'you're really gonna steal Kleenex?' They stole food out of the refrigerator. They stole games, TVs, DVD players. They had broke into my old school car, and took all the stuff outta that," Chris Walker said.

Walker says one of the teddy bears was taken from the memorial set up on the front steps of the home. "I'm like, 'for real? They took a bear?'" Walker said.

Chris Walker says it has been a tough two weeks since the fire. She buried her brother on Friday, April 20th, and spent Monday, April 23rd looking for a new place to live with her two young daughters. Walker says her daughters have kept her strong through it all.

Walker says she believes those responsible for the burglaries are trying to get more. The family has established a memorial fund, but Walker says she's been told someone claiming to represent her family has been going to local businesses seeking donations to a fake family fund. "It's horrible and people is probably giving this person money, and it has nothing to do with me whatsoever," Walker said.

Anyone interested in contributing to Chris Walker's official family fund can make checks out to the Walker Family Memorial, and send them to Educators Credit Union, P.O. Box 081040, Racine, Wisconsin, 53408.

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