A Scion IQ, donated this April to Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates, was damaged this weekend in an apparent hit and run accident, said Executive Director Diana Frederick.

When a generous benefactor donated a Scion IQ to Douglas County’s Court Appointed Special Advocate location this April, the group’s biggest concern with the vehicle was finding a bit of money to make sure it was properly labeled.

“We were thinking something like ‘Raise your IQ, volunteer for CASA,'” said Diana Frederick, the organization’s executive director.

Monday morning, however, Frederick said she and CASA’s other employees were heartbroken to walk outside the office at 1009 New Hampshire St., and find the car’s front bumper torn off almost entirely from an apparent hit and run.

“We were in shock and dismay,” she said. “We were frustrated there was no note and nobody came over. So we contacted law enforcement right away.”

A Scion IQ, donated this April to Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates, was damaged this weekend in an apparent hit and run accident, said Executive Director Diana Frederick.

A Scion IQ, donated this April to Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocates, was damaged this weekend in an apparent hit and run accident, said Executive Director Diana Frederick.

As an organization CASA works to help children in the custody of the courts. Often, those children have been abused and neglected.

Volunteers with CASA meet regularly with children and make recommendations to the court in the child’s best interest.

Development Director Cinnamon Ramer said Douglas County’s CASA location has been in need of a car for quite some time. It’s something employees can use to travel to and from meetings and something the volunteers can use to meet with children, she said.

Now, however, the car hasn’t moved since Monday when it was found to be damaged, Ramer said. The engine starts, but employees don’t want to risk damaging the vehicle further.

Frederick said CASA was closed Friday, through the weekend. So when the damage was discovered Monday morning it wasn’t clear when the car was hit.

Fortunately however, an employee from a neighboring office reported seeing the vehicle, undamaged Saturday morning, Frederick said. So the damage was likely done between Saturday evening and Sunday.

Frustrated by the presumed hit and run, Ramer posted pictures of the damage to social media with a brief story in the hopes of tracking down a culprit.

“It’s a slim chance, but somebody might notice damage on somebody’s car,” she said.

Ryan Pearson, of Pearson Collision Repair, 646 Connecticut St., said he saw the social media posts and came by to check out the damage and offer his services.

At a glance, Pearson estimated the car’s damage to be around $1,200. Mostly cosmetic, but it’s always safe to check the alignment, he said.

As of Wednesday afternoon Ramer and Frederick were awaiting an insurance agent to check out the damage.

And although CASA has insurance, a $500 deductible is still a significant financial hit for the organization, both Ramer and Frederick agreed. That’s money that could be spent on clothing for children in custody, they said.

“I mean, you could get ten pairs of jeans for that or more,” Ramer said. “This wasn’t something we have time for or something we have budgeted for.”

Representatives from the Lawrence Police Department did not immediately respond to an inquiry seeking details on the accident’s investigation.

Ramer said the public has been supportive since she posted about the damage on social media and those who wish to help may donate online at www.dccasa.org.