INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD is working to turn a tragedy into positivity.
The department raised $500 for a mother of four after her 10-year-old was shot.
10-year-old Ka'leeah Brown's mother tells WRTV buying Christmas presents is tougher this year following the shooting.
She's thankful metro police stepped in to help.
"It just shows me that there are good cops out there," Laquisha Brown said.
Laquisha Brown says it's been a tough year for her family.
They're still recovering after Ka'leeah was shot while sleeping in her home.
It happened on Winterberry Drive on August 23.
Ka'leeah Brown was 9 years old at the time.
Police are still searching for the person responsible.
"Recovery is good physically, mentally no. It's still pretty rough. There are nights that my kids still wake up screaming and crying. There are nights that I don't sleep. It's going to take time," Laquisha Brown said.
Brown says she told her four daughter's there weren't going to be as many presents under the tree this year.
Then, she got a call from IMPD.
"I got a phone call and it was unknown. I thought it was the detective giving me an update on the case and the cop told me he would love to take my daughter shopping and of course I agreed," Laquisha Brown said. "As a mother of four, it's a lot. They can be expensive, so it took a lot of weight off my shoulders to know my kids will be happy this Christmas."
"It gives us a feeling that is hard to describe," officer Ryan Deakin said.
IMPD Northwest District officers responded to the call for help.
Office Ryan Deakin says they understand the trauma children and their families face after something like this.
"When we heard about this, it was obviously tragic and we instantly started brainstorming and said this is a little girl that we can shop for Christmas to try and make this positive for her," Deakin said.
It is a shopping spree, the Brown family is thankful for.
"For my kids to have a smile on their face, that's all that matters," Brown said.
-
The family of Adam Sykes responds to a deadly officer-involved shooting
The family of Adam Sykes is speaking up and demanding answers from IMPD after he was shot and killed by police in February.
Indiana legislative session approaches deadline with major decisions looming
So far, the governor has signed more than 100 bills into law, some of which have sparked controversy.
New grant helping central Indiana schools address students' mental wellness
A new grant from Butler University is working to help school districts around central Indiana, geared toward helping students with mental wellness.
Indiana businesses remain concerned over uncertainty when it comes to tariffs
A survey by the Indiana Chamber gauges the level of concern around proposed tariffs to local businesses. 80% say they’re “concerned”, 65% are “very concerned,” and 20% say they are neutral.
