Maryland officer pays for homeless abuse victim and her daughter to stay in a hotel
Last week, a homeless domestic violence victim was seeking shelter in the lobby of a Maryland police station with her one-year-old daughter when a guardian angel stepped in and changed her life.
Last week, a homeless domestic violence victim was seeking shelter in the lobby of a Maryland police station with her one-year-old daughter when a guardian angel stepped in and changed her life.
Wednesday, Cpl. Che Atkinson was at the station filling out some paperwork when a front desk officer came to him.
“[He] said that there was a lady out there with a baby who was homeless,” Atkinson said.
Once the woman told the eight year veteran that she and her daughter had been kicked out of the shelter where they were staying, he made it his mission to find her help and locate a relative who would be willing to pick the pair up.
When he got a hold of a social worker, he assumed everything would be taken care of and headed out on patrol. Unfortunately, when he returned to work the next morning, the woman and child were still sitting in the same spot where he had left them.
“I was like did she come back this morning?” Atkinson told WUSA9. “And the other officer says ‘no I think she’s been here all night. I told her this is what I’m going to find. I’m going to find you a place…I’m going to put you up for the night’”
With his own money, Atkinson bought food for the woman — who he found out hadn’t eaten in days. He then got a car seat to load into his cruiser for her baby and brought both of them to a nearby hotel.
Without Atkinson’s knowledge, a police sergeant took photos of the kind-hearted moment and posted them on Facebook. Despite all the love and positive comments he has received in the days since, the corporal remains modest about his actions — and confused as to why people are making a big deal out of it.
“I had the extra money,” he explained. “What would it hurt just to put them up for a night to make sure they’re safe? This is a helpless child so it’s our duty to help and that child was definitely in need.”
This is not the first time the Prince George’s County officer has gone above and beyond. In December 2013, he was named the District I Police Officer of the Month, after stopping a shooting suspect who was attempting to flee in a cab
As for the woman and her child, they are now safe and staying with relatives.
