Close Ad

Police Officer Adopts Newborn Baby of Homeless Woman Battling Drug Addiction
Police officer adopts baby
Everyday Heroes

Police Officer Adopts Newborn Baby of Homeless Woman Battling Drug Addiction

Being a police officer is an incredibly hard job, but also a rewarding one. Sometimes though, it’s rewarding in surprising ways, like in the case of a California police officer who responded to an emergency call of a homeless pregnant woman -- and then adopted her newborn daughter.

Officer Jesse Whitten works for the Santa Rosa Police Department, and would often encounter a homeless pregnant woman in the streets while patrolling, reports CBS San Francisco.


On one patrol, Whitten’s wife Ashley, was with him and started to chat with the pregnant woman. "I mentioned, 'Oh, you are pregnant,' and she said, 'Oh yeah,' and placed my hand on her womb," Ashley said.

A few months later -- on Valentine’s Day! -- the Whittens received a phone call explaining that the woman had given birth and had asked if Ashley and Jesse would adopt her child. It was a big decision to make, as the couple already have three other daughters.

"She said, 'I knew you had daughters. I knew you were firm, but you were fair,'" Whitten said. "She had this vision of her daughters playing in tutus with her sisters. That's what she said she wanted."

"It's weird to live in the tension of joy and heartbreak like this story is," Ashley said. "It's wonderful at the same time."

Police-officer-adopts-baby

The baby, now known as Harlow Masie Whitten, is a part of the Whitten family. "She smiles so beautifully," said Jesse.

"Her smile is the best thing," Ashley added.

police-officer-adoption

Harlow's adoption recently became official, and even though she had a few rough patches at first -- she was exposed to drugs in the womb -- she’s doing great now.

In fact, Santa Rosa Police Department published a photo of Whitten and the newest member of the family. Ashley and Jesse still keep in touch with the birth mother:

"We were talking and –– I was saying to her -- 'You made this choice for her and that we are so grateful,'" Ashley said. "And she said -- 'You're her mother now.'"

“She loved her daughter enough to give her a family,” she said, “and we were so honored to be that family.”

Hot Stories

Why Paul Walker Left His Only Daughter With Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel & Paul Walker were more than just friends, they were …

content.jwplatform.com

When the tragic news of Paul Walker's death surfaced, the world was left in shock. As one of the most beloved stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, his passing was felt deeply by fans around the globe. But perhaps the most devastating impact was felt by his daughter, Meadow Walker, who was left without a father.

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
4 Signs You've Found a Kindred Spirit, Not a Soulmate
friends wearing same outfit

Spirituality exists beyond words — to a dimension where language can only hint at deeper truths. Any words used to attempt to describe or explain it will always be poor translations because words often fall short when describing spiritual experiences. It's like trying to capture the ocean's vastness in a photograph. It might show its surface but there's no replacement for the direct experience of reality.

RELATED: The Psychology and Spirituality Causes Of An Identity Crisis

On Defining Spiritual Connections

Throughout history, people have tried to capture extraordinary experiences and spiritual connections through language. Terms like soulmates, twin flames, and kindred spirits attempt to describe these non-ordinary bonds. Yet these labels are merely signposts that point to something mysterious and won't fully capture it.

Keep ReadingShow less
Relationships
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his parents Randi and Pat
Archive

Make no mistake about it: Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL. The Tyler, Texas native is the son of Pat Mahomes, a former Major League Baseball player, and Randi Martin.

He burst onto the scene in 2018 when he made history by throwing 50 touchdown passes and 5,000 yards in a single season — a record he shares with Peyton Manning. He followed up his initial success by leading the Kansas City Chiefs to an incredible victory at Super Bowl LIV. If that wasn’t enough, he carried the team through to yet another Super Bowl the very next year, though they ended up losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes has gone to two more Super Bowls since and he's won back-to-back titles (2023 and 2024).

Keep ReadingShow less
Family