Officer Buys Diapers, Shoes for Mom of 6 Caught Shoplifting

Galatians 6:9 We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up.

When Sarah Robinson of Kansas City, Kanasa was caught shoplifting at a Walmart store after running out of diapers for her 2-year-old daughter, she feared going to jail and the loss of her family.

“My heart just dropped. I didn’t know what to say or do. It was horrible. I thought I was going to jail,” said Robinson.

Instead, she ran into an angel wearing a badge.

Officer Mark Engravalle of the Roeland Park Police Department arrived at the Walmart after answering the shoplifting call.  As he spoke to Robinson, the officer noticed that some of her children were not wearing shoes.  It led him to ask about her situation rather than what she was doing inside the store.

“He noticed [what she stole] were necessities like diapers, shoes for the kids, some clothing,” John Demoss, Roeland Park public information officer, told ABC News. “He asked her what the situation was, and she broke down crying.”

Officer Engravalle had to do his job but instead of arresting and taking Robinson to the station, he gave her a citation for misdemeanor threat.  Then he walked back into the Walmart.  He bought diapers, baby wipes and clothes for the children.

“The officer had two children of his own, and he thought of his two kids,” Demoss said. “He thought it was the right thing to do.”

“He couldn’t have been nicer to my girls,” Robinson said. “And then I got a call the next day saying they wanted to help us further and help us get a place to live.”

Two local radio stations then stepped up to raise items for the family.  One station collected over $6,000 in items for the family.

3 thoughts on “Officer Buys Diapers, Shoes for Mom of 6 Caught Shoplifting

  1. Mrs. Fritcha ,
    It is not huminisim , its the golden rule . When you do to the least of these you did unto me is another . I will pray for you and that you stay where you don’t have a need . As a mother of six myself on minimum wage , I had to use baby blankets for diapers with out pins or rubber pants . I know this because I was raised by a granny on a farm that survived the great depraesion . This lady is probably around my age thirties no more than forties . This was not taught to most of this generation no home economics or food prep because it is sexist or that it is dangerous to can your own food (their words at school ) . All they know is the disposable ,and what do you do when you run out ? Those help nets you speak of rarely have those things , in some places even food is scarce . The government help is also hard to get if you don’t have one reciept you are denied , also the workers can fudge information and deny you . the government does not cover anything but medical care and food for the poor money is even harder to get and if you get it it reduces the food help in half for a hundred more dollars , If you need diapers soap tooth paste or clothes you have to be sponsored by a church . Instead of brow beating the officer who was acting like our saviour , understand that not everyone is priviliged or has the knowledge to survive in bad situations . How about letting people know were they can get sponsored , teaching home ec in those big churches that stay empty all week ? I agree that crime is wrong , stealing is wrong and have marched a three year old back to the store and returned a candy bar he took , but he had food and treats he did not need it for survival . I also condemn looting tvs and things . But the poor need education that was once was common knowledge , then they would not feel that great a need to steal .

  2. Why are we as a society rewarding evil? There are plenty of places for this mother to go and get the help she needs for her children and herself without stealing. People do evil and lawless things and then get publicity and notoriety for their plight for whatever the reason. It seems to becoming a way of life in our society rather than taking responsibility to do the right thing. I for one do not applaud this kind of behavior. This is humanism at its best. Living God Almighty is the supplier of our all our needs. People need to go to Him first no matter what the situation they find themselves in. This kind of benevolent behavior by well-meaning people only perpetuates this kind of behavior and will only escalate lawlessness.

  3. You know this might seem to be a small thing in the light of what is happening in the earth. But the eyes of God move to and fro around this world he created, he sees everything, this act of kindness is one way to bring about God’s Kingdom on earth. Can’t you just see that God’s heart touched by this policeman.

    Lord bless the officer and his family, may they know your favour on their lives, bless too the family in need, may this experience bring about salvation in their lives.

    Oh yes, please bless Israel too.

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