How A PA Woman Lost $2.5M Winning Lottery Ticket

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA — A Monroeville woman won $2.5 million playing Pennsylvania Cash 5 and later lost the ticket after accidentally leaving it in the pocket of a jacket she donated to charity, according to multiple reports.

Mildred Simoneriluto purchased the ticket last May at the Shop n' Save in Murrysville, she told WTAE in Pittsburgh. Two weeks later, she realized she won $2.5 million, but she couldn't find the ticket because she had left it inside the donated jacket.

"I was stupefied. There's no words for it" Simoneriluto told Philadelphia's Action News. "How can I get it back?"

According to WTAE, Simoneriluto donated the jacket and other clothing to Vietnam Veterans of America, which provides items to locations across the country and even outside of the United States.

Simoneriluto said the winning ticket contains the numbers 14, 22, 33, 35 and 38. It expires on May 8.

According to the Pennsylvania Lottery, a signed ticket is required to claim prizes.

Cash 5 is drawn during the nightly drawing show at 6:59 p.m.

Here's what the PA Lottery says about claiming winnings: "After winning the lottery the first step is completing the back of your ticket, including your name, address, phone number and signature. Remember, each lottery ticket is a bearer document, meaning it is legally owned by whomever possesses it, at least until it is signed."