Baby Jesus returned to River Forest nativity display

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The baby Jesus figurine was returned to its manger on Thursday after it was missing from a River Forest lawn for a week.

Updated: February 13, 2012 8:20AM

A River Forest family’s Christmas tradition has been made whole again.

The baby Jesus figurine taken Dec. 28 from a front yard nativity scene was returned Thursday.

The Tomassini family, who has had the display since the 1960s, couldn’t be more pleased.

“He is in perfect condition. I’m grateful that whoever took him didn’t damage him in any way,” said Carla Tomassini.

A story about the missing nativity piece appeared on the Forest Leaves and Oak Leaves websites on Tuesday night.

Tomassini said it didn’t take long for a response.

“We got an e-mail shortly after the story went online between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. (Wednesday),” she said.

Turns out the e-mail was from a swim coach at Fenwick High School, who said he might have found the baby Jesus in the school parking lot and would leave it for her to pick up at the front desk.

Tomassini said she thought the figurine, which has been in her family for over 40 years, was gone for good. When she went to the high school, she feared it would not be the one that was taken from her home.

“I went with my daughter,” she said. “I tried not to get my hopes up because I didn’t think it was mine.”

She recognized it immediately.

“I’m so glad,” she said. “There was no damage to him whatsoever.”

“The plug is still attached,” she said.

Her 6-year-old daughter, Angelina, took charge of the figurine all the way back home, holding it in her arms and placing it in the manger.

The Tomassini’s kept it on the front lawn for the rest of the evening, but brought it in that night at Angelina’s request, because she said the baby Jesus has now become a celebrity in the neighborhood on the 1400 block of Monroe.

Tomassini said while some may view it as just another Christmas ornament, the display means much more to her family.

“People place value on things beyond money,” she said.