When 14-year-old Sabreen Haq found out in 2009 that she had a brain tumor and had only a year to live, the Rocky River girl announced that her dying wish was to have a home that her mother, sister and two brothers could call their own.
Her mother, Maysoon Haq, tells Fox 8, "Because she cared about other people, not herself, always she asks for something for other people, not herself, that's why she's a special girl."
When friends, classmates and the people of greater Cleveland heard about Sabreen's request, they opened their hearts and their pocketbooks, raising $120,000.
But she never saw her dream house because, according to Rocky River police, Sabreen's uncle, 35-year-old Hamza Abuhamdeh, used some of the charitable donations to buy a home in North Olmsted but leased it to another family for his own gain. Police admit they took the crime personally.
Sgt. Carl Gulas says, "It's very heartwrenching because you're dealing with vulnerable people here who trusted in other people and ended up on the short end of things."
Sabreen Haq died in June, knowing that she had been deprived of her wish by her uncle, who has now been indicted on three counts of grand theft.
Maysoon Haq says, "He deserves it but he deserves even more than this, you know because he put me in stress and my kids, Sabreen, she was every day like 'I'm sorry mama, I did this to you.'"
Investigators say among other things, Abuhamdeh used the money to buy himself a BMW, a new swimming pool and another rental property.
Police say after the investigation came to light, Abuhamdeh returned $30,000 of the money.
We were unable to reach him for his side of the story.
Sabreen's mother say he is nothing like his niece, telling Fox 8, "He doesn't have a heart, this is what money means for Hamza, money means like everything for him."
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