“What she did was wrong and against the law, but her heart was in the right place with wanting to help to take care of her children”, said Roeland Park Police Officer Mark Engravalle.
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Instead of handcuffing Sarah Robinson and taking her to jail, however, he started a conversation with the mother of six, who told him that her family had struggled since the drowning death of her husband in 2011.
Engravalle made a decision to go shopping for her, buying diapers, baby wipes and shoes.
A mother and her 15-year-old daughter were distraught, having been caught trying to steal almost $300 worth of merchandise.
Engravalle is a father of two young children, ages 2 and 6, and explained to the local Prairie Village Post that the state of the family – broke, living out of a auto, and without shoes for the five youngest kids – tugged on his heartstrings. “I’m not a bad mom, just bad actions”. “It was disgusting. I thought I was going to jail”, said Robinson. “Wal-Mart might see her as a criminal, but I just saw her as a mom going through a really hard time”.
For her part, Robinson was thankful that the officer did not arrest her and take away her children.
But officers also are supposed to help people.
She said she has since been swamped with requests from the public who have offered to donate food and clothing to the family.
Ms Robinson told ABC News of her horror when she was caught.
“I’m so appreciative. I’m embarrassed that I was stealing, but it couldn’t go to more deserving girls”, Robinson said.
On Monday, Engravalle was dispatched to the Wal-Mart at 51st Street and Roe Boulevard, where Robinson and her daughter were caught shoplifting.
Until the police department can get an account set up at a local bank, they are accepting donations on Robinson’s behalf, and tomorrow they will be having an event where people can drop by the station and bring donations for the family. He sent Robinson’s 16-year-old daughter to pick out shoes for her sisters. “The look on her children’s face with the shoes and everything, that’s all that had to be said”.
“He did something that will never be forgotten”, Robinson told KSHB. ABC News reports that she is now homeless and doesn’t have a job to support her children. Then they will need to find a place to live.
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Police Chief John Morris of Roeland Park said he was not surprised by what Engravalle did.
