Pittsburgh-area girl discovered in car after grandma fell into sinkhole reunited with troopers who found her
GREENSBURG, Pa. (KDKA) — The little girl whose grandmother died after falling into a sinkhole in Westmoreland County got a special treat on Monday.
Five-year-old Serenity got to go shopping at the Greensburg Walmart with the state troopers who found her in her grandmother's car hours after Elizabeth Pollard went missing, falling into a sinkhole while looking for her cat.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Papuga and Sergeant Heather Clemwere were the ones who discovered Serenity in the backseat of her grandmother's car waiting for her grandmother to return.
"As a mother, it makes me very appreciative that she even has this opportunity. Especially after everything she's been through within the last two weeks," said Serenity's mom Sheilah Banks.
"She was excited to pick out all of her toys," she added.
And Serenity sure showed her excitement inside the store.
"Other people are going to look at me, like, 'Wow, she's got so many toys,'" Serenity said.
And she wasn't alone. It's part of the annual Shop With A Cop event.
"By the time this is all said and done, we're going to take 600 kids and take six days to shop," said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Stephen Limani.
When it came to checking out, Serenity and the other kids got their toys and the law enforcement agents taking part got to make a few new friends.
Given what's happened recently to Serenity, Limani, the man who makes this happen every year, said, "This is going to be the one I remember for the rest of my life."
