By Joanna Putman
Police1
MIAMI TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Body camera footage of an officer buying formula for a struggling mom has gone viral, Good Morning America reported.
When an Ohio mother was unable to feed her 1-week-old newborn, Cpl. Hunter Willoughby of the Miami Township Police Department took action, according to the report. The incident, which occurred in the early morning hours of June 15, was captured on bodycam footage and released by the Miami Township Police Department on July 2.
Video shows Willoughby arriving at a closed grocery store and knocking on the store’s glass windows.
“There is a mom. She said her milk dried up, and she can’t find anywhere to buy formula. Is there anybody in here who can turn on a cash register?” Willoughby asked a staff member who opened the door. “Because I’ll buy it for her and take it to her.”
The footage then shows Willoughby browsing the formula aisle, selecting a can of infant formula, and speaking to another employee who inquires if the mother would need a baby bottle. With the staffer’s assistance, Willoughby picks up a bottle as well.
Miami Township Police Department Chief Mike Mills praised Willoughby’s actions, stating they exemplify the department’s commitment to community service.
“You don’t often hear about everything a police officer does in the course of their shift, but I do, and this is an example of the Miami Township Way,” Mills said.
In a Facebook post, the department said “Willoughby personally purchase some formula and bottles for the mother and delivered the items to the appreciative mother and he refused to accept any payment for the formula or bottles.”
The body-camera video has been viewed more than 116,000 times on Facebook.