Daycare loses pet turtle in Middletown church arson

A turtle, named Myrtle Sands, lived in a 75-gallon aquarium tank at the Building Strong Foundations daycare inside the Tytus Avenue First Church of God. The church and daycare suffered extensive damage in an arson fire. Daycare officials are holding out hope that whomever started the fire stole the turtle. CONTRIBUTED

A turtle, named Myrtle Sands, lived in a 75-gallon aquarium tank at the Building Strong Foundations daycare inside the Tytus Avenue First Church of God. The church and daycare suffered extensive damage in an arson fire. Daycare officials are holding out hope that whomever started the fire stole the turtle. CONTRIBUTED

The daycare impacted after an arson fire at the Middletown church where it was housed lost its mascot in the blaze.

MORE: Rebuilding after church fire could take ‘6-plus months’

The turtle, named Myrtle Sands, lived in a 75-gallon aquarium tank at Building Strong Foundations day care inside the Tytus Avenue First Church of God. The turtle even had its own Facebook page.

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Michele Ferguson, office manager of the day care, assumes Myrtle Sands died in the fire, but she’s holding out hope that whomever started the fire may have stolen the turtle.

MORE: 16-year-old arrested after Middletown church fire ruled arson

If someone did steal the turtle before the fire, she wants the animal back.

“He’s part of our family,” she said

She called the turtle “unique” and said it had “a good personality.”

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