MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Police in Middletown are making a plea for help after nine children lost their mother to heroin.

According to a post on the Middletown Division of Police’s Facebook page, officers were called to the family’s home Wednesday night to reports of an unresponsive female.

When they arrived, they found a woman, the mother of nine, dead.

After investigating, police found that the mother was with “supposed friends” at the time of her overdose. The friends “left her to die” in front of her children, the post said, and proceeded to steal her money. They then told the kids they were leaving to buy a two liter bottle of soda.

They never came back.

Police were able to get a description of the two men who were with the mother when she overdosed. They could possibly be a father/son team.

The father is described as having gray hair and gray facial hair with a red and black coat. The son had on a brown jacket and was thin.

Aside from trying to find the men, police are also trying to collect several items for around the house for  the children, along with clothing, presents and a Christmas tree.

The post states:

“It has disturbed us so much that it’s time for us to make a difference. Their father is a hard worker, he has tried to make ends meet but it’s a vicious cycle.

Two veteran detectives who were emotionally impacted have worked all day to try and help this family. We will take anything you are willing to donate. We need clothing desperately, we need coats, blankets, food, a stove, a refrigerator, we even need ornaments for the Christmas tree we just took to them and of course toys.

This family has touched our hearts and we want to help them. It’s not about our Facebook page, it’s not about “Likes”, it’s about pure human compassion. If you can help us out, please bring your donation here to the police department.”

To contact the police department, click here.