Kansas police officer buys diapers and new shoes for widowed mother and her six daughters after she gets caught shoplifting at Walmart

  • When Mark Engravalle met Sarah Robinson and her family, he saw that three of her daughters didn't have shoes and had dirty feet 
  • Robinson told him she and her daughters had been homeless after her husband died in an accidental drowning in 2011
  • The $300 in stolen merchandise was made up of diapers, baby wipes and children's shoes 
  • Engravalle then bought the mother the same items out of his own pocket and had one of her daughters pick out shoes for all the girls  

By Anneta Konstantinides For Dailymail.com

Published: 16:38 EST, 10 July 2015 | Updated: 16:38 EST, 10 July 2015

Roeland Park Officer Mark Engravalle has warmed hearts by helping a widowed mother of six who was caught shoplifting at Walmart 

Roeland Park Officer Mark Engravalle has warmed hearts by helping a widowed mother of six who was caught shoplifting at Walmart 

This is the heartwarming moment a Kansas police officer helped a widowed mother of six who had just been caught shoplifting at Walmart. 

Sarah Robinson and her six children were in the retailer's parking lot when Officer Mark Engravalle arrived at the Roeland Park store and saw that three of her daughters didn't have shoes - and their feet were covered in dirt.

Robinson told Engravalle she and her daughters had been homeless after her husband died in an accidental drowning in 2011. 

The family was currently living out of their car and sometimes shared a rented one room bedroom in a stranger's house, according to KSHB. 

When Engravalle saw that the $300 in stolen merchandise was made up of diapers, baby wipes and children's shoes, he knew he had to help. 

'Being a father myself, it obviously pulled at my heart,' said Engravalle, who has two children. 

'Walmart might see her as a criminal, but I just saw her as a mom going through a really difficult time.' 

Engravalle bought Robinson wipes and diapers, and had her 16-year-old daughter pick out shoes for all the girls, paying for everything out of his own pocket. 

Sarah Robinson and her six children were in the Walmart parking lot when Engravalle noticed three of the girls didn't have shoes and their feet were covered in dirt 

Sarah Robinson and her six children were in the Walmart parking lot when Engravalle noticed three of the girls didn't have shoes and their feet were covered in dirt 

Robinson said she had run out of people to ask for help and was afraid of losing her daughters. 

'I could take the easy way out and send them to live with my mom, but I'm not going to do that,' she said. 'They're the reason I live.' 

Engravalle had to give Robinson a ticket for breaking the last, but she said she was grateful that he decided not to arrest her and had helped the family when nobody else would.

'We were both in tears, it was more of a mutual understanding, we didn't really say anything,' said Engravalle about the moment after he purchased items for the family. 

'She said thank you. The look on her children's face with the shoes and everything, that's all that had to be said.'  

Engravalle bought Robinson wipes and diapers, and had her 16-year-old daughter pick out shoes for all the girls, paying for everything out of his own pocket.
Robinson told Engravalle she and her daughters had been homeless after her husband died in an accidental drowning in 2011

Engravalle bought Robinson wipes and diapers, and had her 16-year-old daughter pick out shoes for all the girls, paying for everything out of his own pocket.


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