Bodycam footage shows incredible way in which kind police officer helped a desperate new mom

A police officer's job involves many responsibilities. From helping individuals in distress to saving lives, officers are often the first in line to ensure the welfare of people. Recently, Corporal Hunter Willoughby from Miami Township Police did something incredible after he received a frantic call from a mother at 2 am on June 15, Monday. The woman told him that her milk had dried up and she urgently needed formula for her one-week-old infant. The mom had reportedly been roaming around for hours looking for an open store. 

The police department posted a video on Facebook, which showed bodycam footage of Willoughby going to a supermarket and purchasing formula and feeding bottles. The video began with the officer knocking on the glass door of a store called Meijer. It was mentioned on the door that the store is usually open from 10 am to 6 pm. The officer continued to knock for a few minutes and then used his torch to get attention. A little later, a staff member came out and he told her, "You might not be able to help me. There is a mom who mentioned that her milk dried up and she can't find anywhere to buy formula." He then asked her if he could buy the formula at their supermarket and pay for it. She responded, "I believe so."

He then walked into the store and picked up a can of formula. Then another member of the staff asked him if he needed anything else. He told her about the woman's situation and she guided him to the aisle where there were feeding bottles. She confirmed the baby's age and took out a pack of bottles. He took the bottles and the formula and walked towards the billing counter.

The video was captioned, "During the overnight hours, Corporal Hunter Willoughby received a frantic phone call from a post-partum mother who said she was unable to feed her one-week-old infant. Cpl Willoughby went into action and alerted employees at Meijer and they helped (the store was closed at the time). Cpl Willoughby personally purchased 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."

Chief Mike Millis expressed pride in what the police officer did. He wrote, "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." People on the social media platform also loved Willoughy's kind gesture. Kelsi Cocoran commented, "This is what the world needs more of. Hats off to him today. I hope he's sleeping in too." Amanda Marie wrote, "Also, thank you, Meijer team, for allowing this officer to come in and buy something after hours! You aren't going unnoticed either. It takes a village. I wish more people would see this." 

Bob Ward shared, "Kudos, Corporal, you went above and beyond here. A random act of kindness is sometimes all that's needed to shine a light into the darkness. You not only calmed a frantic mother and made sure a newborn baby was fed, but you showed the humanity behind the badge. We hear too much about police wrongs. We need to hear more stories like this. Again, awesome job, Corporal." Chuck Mclaughlin said, "That is a great guy and good cop and should be rewarded for his humanity! Also, the Meijer employee who was just as kind should also be rewarded for being kind and caring. Miami Township should recognize both the officer and the employee as well!"

Willoughby, a father of two young daughters, told TODAY that his heart went out to the mother. "She said her baby had been screaming for a couple of hours and I'm a dad—I know how hard that can be. Those first few months are a whirlwind of emotions." When the officer stepped out of his car with a grocery bag, he shared, the mother looked relieved. "She was super appreciative and tried to pay me, but I refused," he said. He added that it wasn't a long conversation as the mom had a hungry baby to feed.