This compassionate police officer is redefining what it means for law enforcement to protect and serve the community by establishing a new standard.
Officer Jesse Whitten and his wife have became the adoptive parents of a newborn baby girl who was born to a homeless lady who is battling an addiction to drugs.
Throughout the course of the year, Whitten, who is employed by the Santa Rosa Police Department in the state of California, made several visits to check on the woman.
After some time had passed, a relationship of friendship developed between the two.
The next time Whitten saw the woman was exactly a year ago, when he was out with his wife Ashley.
After Ashley realized that the other woman was expecting a child, she started a chat with her about being a mother.
Six months later, the married couple was taken aback when they received a call from the woman claiming that she wanted them to adopt her newborn child. The woman said that she wanted them to adopt her child personally.
The mother had high hopes that her daughter, who was currently in the care of the Whittens, would be able to lead a more typical life after being adopted by them.
The Whittens agreed to the woman’s request, and now, after another six months have passed, they have made Harlow Masie Whitten their fourth child through the legal process of adoption.
As a result of the baby being exposed to drugs when she was still in the womb, she had to overcome many obstacles, but now she is a cherished member of the Whitten family despite all of her struggles.
Ashley shared the following statement with CBS San Francisco: “We were talking, and I was saying to her, ‘You made this choice for her, and that we are very grateful.'” And she said to me, ‘You are her mother now.'”