A LOCAL GIRL SCOUT HAS HAD HER VOICE STOLEN: HOW HER iPAD HELPS HER SPEAK

 Humboldt County, CA- A McKinleyville girl has had her voice stolen. 11-year-old Teira Manfredda is non-verbal and uses a special program on her ipad to speak.On Tuesday night that ipad was stolen out of her parents car.Teira’s ipad is much more than an electronic device; it’s her voice.She suffers from a developmental disability. Her mom, Colleen Leydecker added, "Its a chromosome deletion that mimics autism. The chromosome is actually where your expressive language is held. So for any or her words to come out is a miracle in itself. She was able to increase that beyond anyone imagination once she got the ipad."And now the ipad that has done so much for her is gone. It was stolen outside of Grocery Outlet in Eureka while she was inside selling Girl Scout nuts and candies. Leydecker said, "It also has increased her vocabulary she went from about 150 words before we got it to 350 words since she has had it."Colleen adopted Teira in 2009 and has made it her goal to help her learn to communicate. Leydecker told us, “the software we had on the ipad allowed her to say what she wants and needs from us when we can't understand her words."Girl Scout MVp Director Kathy Johanson told us, ”and as far as the other girls they didn't even come close. It's really an achievement for any girl when they set a goal and accomplish it…And Teira went way beyond that."Teira’s mom tells us that it was a community effort to get her the ipad. Orders from all over the county were pouring in to help Teira. Leydecker added, "in a day or 2 security national passed the order form around and got 113 boxes. It's an amazing community effort."It took five weeks to raise the funds for the ipad but it took just one night to have it taken from her.If you would like to help Teira get her voice back she will be selling girl scout nuts and candies at grocery outlet in eureka tonight till 7 pm… And at ray’s food place on Saturday in Arcata from 10 am to 3 pm.