This story is about a police officer named Lt. Brian Zach who adopted a child who was treated badly. Lt. Zach really liked Christmas, and he decorated his office with a nice Christmas tree and ornaments. However, he understood that the presents under the tree weren’t always wrapped perfectly.
A few years ago, while checking on people’s well-being in Kingman, Arizona, he found something really amazing in life. Kingman is a special place because it’s like the heart of the famous Route 66. Usually, the police there get calls about things like stealing, drugs, or problems at home.
On that day, Zach had to help with a situation where a little girl named Kaila, who was only two years old, was abused by someone.
“My heart felt for this little girl who was covered in bruises. She just had a very strong spirit. She had a skull fracture, a brain bleed, and a dislocated elbow,” Zach told.
He was really surprised when he saw the child. This wasn’t the first time he saw something like that while working.
Zach said. “I had a 13-month-old die. That was hard. It is something that is so emotionally scarring that I relive it every time I talk about it. Look, Kaila could be that little girl, but God had a different plan.”
First, he became friends with Kaila while they were waiting for social workers. When the people in charge were trying to find a new family for Kaila, they found out about his kindness.
Zach said. “The question that changed our lives forever was, ‘Would you actually consider being a placement home?’ And we immediately said, ‘Yes.’
Kaila was only going to stay with Zach, his wife, and their two older kids, Raina and Trevin, for a little while.
“They said it would only be a couple of weeks to a month until they could find a placement home for her. We played it week by week, month by month, court date by court date, not knowing how long we would really have,” Zach said.
While Zach waited, he often wondered where Kaila would live for such a long time.
With lots of tears, he said, “If I stopped and thought about it, it would make me sick to my stomach, not knowing what this girl’s future would be if she left. Having seen what happens when children are in the system, it made me worry a lot more.”
Zach and his family made Kaila really happy and did fun things with her, like going to Disneyland and Hawaii. Now, after four years, Zach and his wife are officially Kaila’s adoptive parents.
Zach and Detective Heath Mosby went to the same high school and later became really good friends while working together as police officers.
“We started out as rookies together,” Mosby said.
Even though Mosby and Zach were good friends, Mosby didn’t know what was going to happen to Zach.
Mosby said, “I was awestruck! I never heard of any of our officers doing that. When it came down to adoption, it was like, ‘Wow!’… Especially after the journey she went through.
Zach is really important to the Kingman community, and Mosby thinks he’s great. Zach is like a superhero because his dad was a police officer, and his grandpa was one of the first motorcycle cops at the same place where Zach works now. They’re like a police family, and Zach keeps their badges on a shelf in his office like special trophies.
In his words, Zach said, “It is very much in my blood. I feel very fortunate to have the career I’ve had and to help the people that I’ve helped. You get to see the difference you make; you get to know the people you help; and there are very, very kind people here.”
Zach told people who are thinking about taking care of kids that it’s a really good choice. He and his family are happy that they decided to do it.
“Just do it. The process isn’t as harsh or overburdened as we thought,” Zach said.
What he said is still in our minds. His family’s choice inspires lots of people like us to help and adopt kids who need extra love and care.
