An Adelaide mother is seeking help after a $700 Bugaboo Butterfly travel pram was accidentally sold at a Salvation Army store for $12, following an early-morning drop-off of donations.
Emma Burchell, a mother of two, said she had been juggling two young children and "had mum brain" when she left the pram outside the Brighton Road Salvos. Staff reportedly treated it as part of donations and put it up for sale. By the time Burchell returned to collect it, the pram was gone.
Comedian Josh Hawkins, known online as HiJosh to his roughly 900,000 Facebook followers, helped amplify Burchell's plea after posting the tale on social media. In a video explaining the incident, Hawkins described how Burchell left the pram behind and that it had been sold for $12, urging viewers to watch and help locate it: "This is my cousin-in-law, and she left her $700 stroller at an op shop... They sold it to someone for $12. Please watch this and see if we can get it back for her."
Bugaboo responded quickly, offering Burchell an upgraded Butterfly 2 model and pledging to donate other baby essentials through the Brighton Salvos. The company also teamed with children’s charity Big Group Hug to provide a pram to another family in need.
Late on Wednesday night, a twist emerged when the mystery buyer who purchased the pram stepped forward. The buyer wrote that they had asked the cashier how much the pram cost and were told $10, but the register charged $12. They decided to take it anyway, writing that they had "been looking for one for my daughter for so long." It is understood the mystery shopper kept the pram, while Burchell had already been offered a new stroller from Bugaboo.
"Social media actually worked. It got my pram back, and more than that, it sparked so many acts of generosity," Burchell said. The episode ended with a ripple effect of support, including Bugaboo’s offer and charity partnerships, underscoring how online advocacy can mobilize help for families facing everyday challenges.
The incident has drawn attention to the power of social media to coordinate assistance and highlight gaps in everyday systems, while illustrating how brands and charities can respond quickly to a viral story. As Burchell navigates the aftermath, the community response has combined practical aid with a broader conversation about retailers, donations, and consumer protections in the context of family life.