Sophia Reed spent the last of her holiday cash relocating her family to a new residence. After putting down a deposit on her Oklahoma City apartment, there was nothing left over for gifts. "What little Christmas money we had you know to pay my security deposit for here," she told KFOR.
To add to all the holiday stress, her 13-year-old son Deauris went missing last week. Worried and frantic, Reed called the police to place a missing persons report. Officers discovered her teenage son collecting cans. He was raising money to buy a Christmas gift for his mother. "I just wanted to do something for my momma," Deauris said.
It turns out his sister Deneisha was also in on the plan. "I was afraid he was going to get in trouble," she said. "I just didn't want to say anything because it would blow the whole thing."
Moved by his selfless gesture, Officer Roland Russell told the story to his fellow police officers, who were inspired to raise $800 to fund the family's Christmas. "There was so many knocks on my door, everybody just was knocking, just was knocking, and every time I opened my door it was the police, the police," Reed said. "They caught us at the right time and we are so grateful."
"Most of the time when I see the police it's like, bad stuff," Deauris said. "Up here I guess it's changed, good."