Photo of cop holding abandoned child in hospital bed goes viral immediately
By timboss
Cops over the recent years have gotten a lot of criticism, both online and as they do their job on the street.
While some of the criticism about our officers in blue can be warranted, there are still great men and women who go above and beyond the call of duty because they genuinely want to make the world a better place.
They are warm, loving and are bursting with compassion. In any case, that certainly sums Officer James Hurst up. A rookie officer with the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police, became a viral figure in 2016 after a picture surfaced of him cuddling an abandoned toddler.
Credit: Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police
As per reports, Officer Hurst and a few of his colleagues had been dispatched to check out a call from the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood of Savannah, Georgia.
It transpired that concerned neighbors had called in to report a 16-month-old boy was wandering the streets. It wasn’t clear who he was or where he had come from, nor was it clear for how long he’d been walking alone.
Officer Hurst, who has two children of his own, knew something had to be done. The officers took the abandoned toddler to the emergency room to be checked out, though the sudden shift of environment caused the little one to grow upset.
Officer Hurst explained: “The boy, obviously, being so small, became very upset. He was crying. He was sobbing.
“I asked the hospital staff if I can hold him to comfort him and soothe him a little bit to try to calm him down, to continue getting medical care and they said that was fine.
“So I picked him up, minutes later, he, I was standing and he was asleep on my chest and with all my body armor and my gun belt, became very heavy holding this small child, so that’s when I decided to sit down on the bed and make it easier for him and me.”
A picture was taken and uploaded to social media. It went viral on Facebook, turning Officer Hurst into a hero overnight.
“It was just natural to want to soothe this child, um, I didn’t expect any of this, it’s been quite overwhelming actually,” Officer Hurst explained.
As per reports, the abandoned toddler recovered well. He was placed in the custody of Georgia Department of Family & Children’s Services.
“This job is so much more than just chasing the bad guys, it is about serving the citizens of the communities you work in and doing what they need you to do,” said Officer Hurst.
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All images, including featured image & facebook image credited to their respective creators and Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police
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