Family Of Young Girl Struck, Killed In Overbrook Shares Special Gift With Police
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It's not often that you surprise police officer inside their own district. It's also not often you see a heartfelt gesture that brings a captain to near tears.
That's exactly what Ayeshia Poole and her children did.
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"Since that day, they have been by me and my children's sides," Poole said. "I just felt as though we should do something special for them because they have done a lot for us."
Poole will never forget "that day." It was November 18. That was the day a hit and run driver struck and killed her 8-year-old daughter Jayanna Powell near 63rd and Lansdowne Avenue in Overbrook.
Captain Joseph Bologna and officers with the 19th District were relentless in their pursuit of the driver. A 24-year-old man was arrested a few weeks later. After daily check-ins on the family, Captain Bologna and his officers established an unbreakable bond.
On Monday, the family presented the officers with a special gift.
"Me and my children, we went and got dog tags made of my daughter Jayanna and on the back we did an engravement," Poole said. A picture of a vivacious little girl adorns the front and on the back, an inscription that reads "You Will Always Be My Hero."
"This family will always be close to my heart, forever," Captain Bologna said. "Whatever I can do to help them, I'm there. I'll always be a phone call away."
"By them being police officers you think, OK, they're going to come on calls, but they're not going to always be around. That's a lie. They have always been around," Poole said.
