5-year-old boy gets escorted by 70 police officers to school after hero cop dad dies in line of duty
When five-year-old Dakota Pitts returned to school for the first time a week after his father death, he did not want to go alone. The boy, before heading to school on Monday, reportedly asked his mom if one of his father's friends could drive him to school. He was in for a touching surprise.
When Dakota reached his school at Sullivan Elementary, he was greeted by at least 70 Indiana police officers who were waiting outside to give Dakota his very own police escort to school, according to reports. The officials included Terre Haute Ppolice officers and Vigo County sheriff's deputies.
Dakota's father, Rob Pitts, was an Indiana police officer for the Terre Haute and Sullivan police departments and was killed in the line of duty by a 21-year-old suspect last week.
The five-year-old received the much-needed support from the police officers on Monday as he proudly wore his father's police badge and walked past a long line of officers.
Reports state that the officers wanted Dakota to know that they would always have his back and they were just like family to him.
The Indiana officers also gave the young boy his very own SWAT T-shirt and badge after he arrived at the school.
Dakota was accompanied by his dad's sister, Kelly Jones, who said that the moment gave her chills.
"He will definitely know his dad was a hero. Blood doesn't always make family. And I think the blue family went above and beyond," Jones said, according to WTHI.
A police detective, Les Hamm, said: "Dakota asked his mom if one of his dad's friends could take him to school so she reached out to Rob’s friends and families.
The boy, last week, gave a special message to his father through local TV station WTHI, which his mother told him would help his dad see from heaven.
Dokota said: "Dear Dad, I love you and I miss you so much."
His mother, Josie Huff, said that the child's heart hurts because it has been broken.