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Cop comforts toddler during welfare check and 2 years later
becomes her father
"She was just the cutest little girl that immediately just tugged at my heart."
ROZZETTE CABRERA
11.09.21
Police officers do their best to save lives and help people. They go above and beyond their duties to make sure that the people under their care remain safe.
Lt. Brian Zach has always been haunted by memories of a 13-month-old victim he wasn’t able to save. The incident happened in 2011 but the memories feel like they just happened yesterday. That feeling made him more motivated to be better at his job.
While working a night shift, Lt. Brian received a call about the case of a 2-year-old girl.
It was Kaila. She’d been rescued and reported because of her severe bruises and injuries.
As soon as he got the call, Lt. Brian quickly went to the child’s place. There, he spent hours comforting the child. Together, they watched “Wreck-It Ralph” and did some coloring.
At that moment, the kid touched Lt. Brian’s heart. In an interview with People, he shared:
“She was just the cutest little girl that immediately just tugged at my heart. She would grab my hand and put it on her lap and she would hold my hand and kind of just pet my hand.”
Kaila was transferred to a hospital to get treated. While she was there, the police officer created a plan to take her home. As soon as he came home, he immediately told his wife about Kaila. He expressed how much he wanted to take her home and make her a part of their family.
The process wasn’t easy.
Since there was a criminal case, they needed to make sure that offering their home to the little girl wouldn’t affect it. Lt. Brian’s children were extra careful as well.
Since they weren’t sure if Kaila would end up getting adopted into the family, they were careful not to get too attached easily. They knew they’d be devastated if she was taken away from them. Because of that, they just lived each week with her as best as they could.
Eventually, it was determined that Kaila’s biological parents weren’t the best people to care for her.
This cleared the way for Lt. Brian’s family to start working on adopting her.
“When her family didn’t step up or pass the qualifications for them to be a placement for her, we knew that this girl, she needed love, she needed a family.”
The couple officially adopted little Kaila on August 18, 2020.
Lt. Brian’s action impressed a lot of people. Even Rusty Cooper, the chief of police of the Kingman Police Department, felt the same way. In an interview with Good Morning America, he shared:
“Lt. Brian Zach’s commitment to public safety is exemplified in his commitment and love for Kaila. Both Brian and his wife Cierra are amazing parents. They are committed to the service of others and a cause that is greater than themselves. We are proud of Brian and thankful that he and his family are part of the Kingman Police Department.”
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