UPDATE: Two Good Samaritans credited with helping missing girl
A Colorado Springs couple said they didn’t realize a small gesture would have such a big impact on their lives and the life of a missing girl.
Police announced on Monday they were looking for a two-year-old. Officers said her mother left her in the care of unknown persons before she died. The Bocks, a local Colorado Springs couple, called police as soon as they saw the notice posted on KRDO NewsChannel 13’s Facebook page.
Jared Bock said more than a week before, he noticed the two-year-old and her mom standing in the front entry of his apartment building. He said the two looked like they were standing with all of their belongings. He asked the mom if they needed help, she said no, so he left to run errands. When he returned hours later, the mother and daughter were still there, so Bock and his wife invited them to come in for dinner.
“Sorry it’s a little emotional, it was just really hard to see a homeless mother and her child in the hallway,” said Bock.
Initially the two planned to stay for dinner, but seeing their dire situation, the Bocks offered them a place to stay overnight. The two-year-old’s mom initially said no.
“She was like, ‘I couldn’t impose,’ and my wife just insisted and said really, ‘it isn’t a problem,'” said Bock.
The Bocks raised children of their own and are now grandparents. The mom decided to leave the toddler with the couple while she searched for a new place to leave.
“Her daughter didn’t have any clothes so we bought her a wardrobe and some toys and a little baby bed, the things you need to babysit,” said Bock.
Throughout the week, the Bocks texted with the mother, updating her on her daughter and sending pictures. On Friday, the mom didn’t respond to their texts. On Monday, Jared Bock called her and she didn’t answer. Over his lunch break, he checked Facebook and saw the post that her mother had died.
“My heart just dropped. I called my wife right away and said her mother died. It’s on the news and they are looking for her and just directly called police,” said Jared Bock.
For several days, DHS could not find a family member that was the right fit to look after the toddler. The Bock couple decided they would foster her if no one was suitable.
“It’s one of those things where you’re trying to give a little bit of help and once you do, you just can’t say no. We took the responsibility of helping that child no matter what,” said Bock.
After a few days, DHS located a loved one who would take custody of the toddler.
“When we walked in, there was an entire room full of family just waiting to see her,” said Jared Bock. “It really couldn’t have worked out better.”
Jared Bock said they would like to keep in contact with the two-year-old, but they want to do what’s best for her.
“Just to see how she grows but this was something we were doing out of the kindness of our heart and to be honest with you, we are just strangers to the family and I feel like if we kept in contact, it would just be a reminder of a bad time in her life. She is young enough now to forget,” said Jared Bock.
Jared Bock hopes their story reminds others to be kind and help people in need.
“I didn’t think such a small act would have such a big impact on this child’s life when it was really effortless as inviting someone in,” said Jared Bock.
He said he’ll never forget what he said to the toddler the last time he saw her, and he hopes she doesn’t forget.
“I said, ‘You go on and you do great things. Someone loved you.’ And I gave her a kiss and then she drove away,” said Jared Bock.
