Arizona police officer adopts girl he consoled while working on her case

KINGMAN, Ariz. — An Arizona police officer who comforted a child abuse survivor while working on her case has officially welcomed the 4-year-old girl to his own family.

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According to KTVK and “Good Morning America,” Kingman police Lt. Brian Zach and wife Cierra adopted the child, Kaila, in August, more than two years after Zach met the girl while he was on the job. After responding to a call at Kaila’s home in March 2018, Zach and the girl bonded by coloring, watching “Wreck-It Ralph” and eating snacks as they waited for child welfare services to arrive, the news outlets reported.

Officials removed Kaila from her home but were unable to locate another family member to take care of her, according to KTVK. That’s when Zach and Cierra decided Kaila could live with them.

“We lived each week not knowing if she was going to go back to her biological parents or how long we were going to keep her,” Zach told “Good Morning America,” adding that he and his wife vowed “to love and care for this little girl for as long as it happened.”

After fostering the girl for 30 months, the couple adopted her Aug. 18, “Good Morning America” reported.

“She’s happy, and she’s flourished,” Zach told KTVK.

Kingman police celebrated the news in a Facebook post last month.

“Welcome to the family, Kaila,” the post read. “Amazing family. Well done and congratulations.”

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Cox Media Group