A poor mother is apprehended stealing eggs for her family: a policeman buys the whole package

Sometimes, not everything is as it seems and in a historical moment when the media tells us of great tensions between American law enforcement and African American communities, a small event in Alabama has shaken the entire nation. The compassionate gesture by William Stacy, a young police officer, moved Americans and the whole world. Instead of arresting a woman in dire financial straits for stealing eggs, Officer Stacy showed up on the doorstep of the needy family with a new carton full of eggs. The embrace between the policeman and the woman has gone viral and has moved thousands of users around the world.

via AL.com

It's Saturday night and an American family with severe financial difficulties had not eaten for two days. In order to eat something, the mother of two decided to go to the nearest supermarket with only 1 dollar and a few cents to try to buy some eggs, which would provide the necessary nourishment for dinner.

In despair however, she found herself with 50 cents less than the cost of the package. So, out of anxiety, she decided to hide five eggs in her pocket. An unsuitable place for extremely fragile eggs, which broke after a few steps, attracting the attention of the clerk.

Stopped while she was trying to leave with egg whites and yolks dripping from her jacket pocket, the mother of the family immediately admitted that she had stolen them. However, the store had already called the police and when Officer Stacy arrived at the scene she immediately understood the situation, convincing the grocery owners not to file a complaint.

The woman was ready to be handcuffed, aware of the crime she had committed. "She started crying, apologizing to the shop owners," William said. "She tried to give me the money she had with her and actually it wasn't enough for even a piece of bread." It was then that Officer Stacy explained to the woman that she would not be arrested. William remembered the lady from a previous visit to her home, due to the poverty in which she and her family lived.

"The story she told me on Saturday matched what I saw when I was at her house," Stacy told local newspapers. “I felt it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to judge her, she didn't need any further problems” concluded the policeman. So, moved by what he had just seen and heard, the young policeman decided to buy her a new carton of eggs, ordering the woman to never steal again. “I hope she doesn't do it again. I pray she doesn't, and I don't think she will,” Stacy said.

Just before getting into the car, Johnson turned to hug Stacy and, unbeknownst to them, the moment was captured by a passerby who, shocked by the beautiful gesture, posted it on Facebook. The story was shared millions of times online, and a few days later, police officers arrived at the lady's home without warning. “I was sure they had come back to arrest me for the theft at the grocery store. My grandson, frightened by the situation, asked me if I was going to prison,” said the woman. William and his colleagues were waiting for her at the police station with a big surprise for her and for her whole family: food, toys and clothes sent by the numerous supporters who had seen the video of the woman online. A charitable gesture that moved the woman, incredulous at the situation in which she found herself. For her, that gift was life changing.

In short, sometimes even a small gesture can change the life of a person in need.