Mom frustrated over senior pictures that haven’t arrived
RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - An empty picture frame sits on a dining room table. The picture it is suppose to hold has been paid for and was supposedly delivered, but a month has passed and it has not arrived.
"It just feels like something has been taken for no reason whatsoever and we just want our pictures that's all," said Diehl.
Diehl gets emotional talking about something that has a great deal of sentimental value - her daughter's senior pictures.
"She's my only daughter," Diehl said. "We have five children. We have four boys and one girl, and she's the baby."
Melissa graduated from Huguenot High school in June. Weeks before the ceremony, her mother ordered three of the poses from her senior photo shoot. The order is verified on her credit card statement for $109.44. The pictures were to arrive in two to three weeks.
"Well, the pictures never came," Diehl said. "We said OK, we'll wait a couple more weeks we know it's busy season with graduations, let's give them a little bit more time. A couple more weeks, so that's what we did."
When the pictures still did not arrive, she called Orrie Gaines Photography. She said Gaines told her the pictures had been sent to her address. He said he would look into it and call her back. That call was never returned, so Diehl called him again about two weeks later.
"And I says well this is Kim Diehl, I'm calling again to inquire about my daughter's graduation pictures," Diehl said. "I spoke to you a few weeks ago, you said give you some time to look and see where the order was, but now I'd like to know where my daughters pictures are."
She said Gaines indicated he remembered the conversation and reiterated that the pictures had been sent and he didn't have them.
With the pictures still allegedly on the way, Diehl waited again.
Weeks passed.
Now, it was the beginning of August, and the pictures still had not arrived. So, Diehl called Gaines again.
"Mr. Gaines, I said who I was again, I'm calling about my daughter's graduation pictures," Diehl said. "We have not received them. Sir, either send us our pictures or refund us our money back. He hung up. I called back and then he never answered."
That's when deal reached out for help, desperate for answers but even more desperate for memories.
"It's the last chapter of high school for them," Diehl said. "They've been in school all their life, they've earned their degree. Give us our memory of our children. Her frame is right now on the dining room table sitting there still empty waiting for her graduation picture."
No one answered the door at Gaines' photography studio.
Gaines did answer the phone and was connected with Diehl in a three-way conversation.
Gaines once again said the the pictures had been processed and mailed to Diehl's home July 10. But Gaines agreed to reorder the images and have them shipped again.
Diehl was not comfortable going to Gaines' studio to pick them up, so Gaines agreed to d rop them off at her home, which should happen this week.
"All my husband and I want are the pictures," Diehl said.
Copyright 2018 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.
