Heartfelt moment between CMPD officer and 2-year-old goes viral
CHARLOTTE, NC (WJZY) - A viral video sent to FOX 46 Charlotte and shared on Facebook is giving many people hope.
The video shows a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer interacting with a 2-year old girl, when the toddler and her mother stopped at a gas station Tuesday on Albemarle Road.
In the video, CMPD Officer Ashley Brown shows 2-year old Brianna Bukasa around her patrol car.
Brianna's mom, Ornella Lenga, said, "She [Brianna] ran up to her [Officer Brown], and she gave her a hug that lasted at least a minute."
Officer Brown said, "I turned around and saw Brianna walking up to me, and started to talk to her mom, and she hugged me and wouldn't let go."
The encounter did just as much good for Officer Brown as it did for Brianna. Officer Brown said, "That was definitely the highlight of my day."
Lenga captured the encounter with her cell phone. She sent the video to FOX 46 Charlotte.
She said, "For Officer Ashley to welcome her and embrace her, it was just amazing." Lenga said, "The thing that warms my heart is that she didn't have to do what she did. She could have just stopped at a hug, could've said 'Hello, how are you?'"
Officer Brown said, "I have many role models that were law enforcement growing up. I could have turned out differently."
Officer Brown wants kids like Brianna to know she's there for them.
She said, "I want to keep that positive interaction with her, so she knows that even if she does make a mistake, which we all do, that she knows someone's in her corner to look out for her."
Officer Brown added, "It definitely makes an impact on me, and it makes me feel like what I'm doing out here is right, and to continue doing it, no matter what's going on or the public opinion of what's going on with officers today."