Man Accused of Car Crash that Killed 4-Year-Old Allegedly Stole Memorial Cross from Crash Site

Nathan Heitzmann, 24, is now facing a misdemeanor theft charge on top of other charges

A Wisconsin man who was charged in connection with a deadly crash that killed a 4-year-old girl is now accused of stealing a memorial  cross from the crash site.

Nathan Heitzmann, 24, is facing a misdemeanor theft charge in the alleged cross stealing. He is also charged with felony bail jumping, according to court records.

Heitzmann was charged in May with knowingly operating a vehicle while suspended causing death and a vehicular homicide charge in connection with the April death of Cordelia Kuether, TMJ4 reported.

He pleaded not guilty to the felony charges in May, the Sheboygan Press reported.

According to a criminal complaint, police began looking into the stolen white cross, which was bought by Cordelia’s family, on Aug. 17, TMJ4 reported.

During the investigation, officers allegedly spoke to a witness who said Heitzmann opened his backpack with a white cross inside and told the witness he “needed it for himself,” according to the criminal complaint, cited by FOX6.

Asked about the cross by police, Heitzmann allegedly said, "Are you sure my little brother didn't take the sign officer, the other day he told me he was really getting sick of looking at it." He also allegedly said: "Did it get picked up and grow legs," according to TMJ4, which cites the complaint.

"Life is very fragile, and you never know exactly when something as fragile as that can be taken away from us," Cordelia’s father Devon Kuether said, Fox6 reported. "How could this guy ... go and do this?"

The fatal crash occurred on April 12 after a van and pickup truck allegedly driven by Heitzmann collided at an intersection in Sheboygan.

As a result of the crash, the van “left the roadway and struck a group of pedestrians," explained the police in a news update, sharing that  Cordelia "sustained a fatal injury and tragically lost her life."

Cordelia’s three family members were "transported to local hospitals for treatment of minor injuries," police added.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Cordelia and her younger sister Lily had stopped to pet a dog when the incident occurred, WISN-TV reported.

According to the complaint obtained by Fox6, Heitzmann allegedly "indicated that the crash was his fault and he felt guilty for what occurred."

The Department of Motor Vehicles notified Heitzmann that his license was suspended in March, according to the complaint.

A status conference is scheduled for Nov. 22.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.