Photo of police officer comforting little boy goes viral: 'He needed somebody'

Officer James Hurst brought an abandoned toddler to a hospital but did not leave immediately as he wanted to be there for the child.

A photo was posted on Facebook which showed the cop comforting the little boy he rescued on May 9, 2018, in Savannah.

Officer Hurst, who is with the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police, received praise for his compassionate act. The viral photo shows him cuddling an abandoned baby at the hospital.

The incident took place when Hurst and a few of his colleagues were sent to check out a call from the Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood, ‘a rough area.’

Someone had called in to report a 16-month-old boy wandering the streets. Nobody was aware how long the boy was on the streets, where he’d come from or where he belonged.

Hurst, who has two children of his own, one of who has Down Syndrome, was upset watching the child wandering. He immediately took him to the emergency room to make sure he was fine

The boy was confused with all the activity and began to cry while the doctors examined him. The officer held him and the boy quickly fell asleep on his chest.

He was initially standing as the child slept on his chest. With his body armor and his gun belt, it became difficult for him, hence he decided to sit down on the bed.

He stayed on with the child for two hours because he wanted to be there for a child who had no one at the time.

“He was sobbing. I asked the hospital staff if I can hold him to comfort him and soothe him a little bit to try to calm him down, to continue getting medical care and they said that was fine.”

Officer James Hurst, WSAV.com, May 12, 2016.

The photo went viral on Facebook but the officer is stunned with all the reactions it has received. He said it was natural for him to soothe the child.

The toddler was safe and in good health. The case was turned over to state social service authorities with the Georgia Department of Family & Children’s Services.