Arizona Police Officer Adopts Little Girl He Encountered On Duty

Courtesy of Good Morning America via Brian Zach

A law enforcement officer from Arizona provided a permanent home for a young girl he met while on duty.

In June, Brian Zach, lieutenant of the Kingman Police Department, and his wife Cierra, officially became parents to 4-year-old Kaila.

How The Story Came To Be

In an article originally published on Dec. 2, 2020, Zach shared details about the process of adopting Kaila with Good Morning America.

In March of 2018, while serving as a patrol sergeant, Zach and other officers he was working with received a call to investigate Kaila’s residence and perform a welfare check.

“My heart felt for this little girl that was covered in bruises.”

Zach proceeded to spend the night bonding with Kaila, who, as he shared, had endured the challenges of being a survivor of abuse.

“We colored, we snacked…she held my hand and she was just this cute little thing,” Zach said. “Once detectives came, they picked her up and took her to the hospital.”

Zach, father of two other children, returned home after spending hours with Kaila and expressed to his wife his desire for the child to join their family.

In the meantime, Kaila was undergoing treatment for multiple injuries resulting from physical abuse. Zach mentioned that criminal charges were brought against Kaila’s caretakers.

During this time, child protective services were unable to secure immediate placement for Kaila, so he and Cierra stepped in to provide support.

“The question that changed our life forever was, “Would you actually consider being a placement for Kaila?’ And I immediately said yes.”

“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 said. “Our goal was to love and care for this little girl for as long as it happened.”

The Day They Adopted Her

On Aug. 18, 30 months after she came into their care, the family officially adopted Kaila at Mohave County Superior Court in Lake Havasu City.

“She came with a sippy cup, a bag of clothes that didn’t fit her, and that was it,” Zach said.

“Within the second day she was calling my wife ‘mom’ or ‘mommy,'” he added. “I was ‘guy’ for a week or two and then when she started preschool, she learned who ‘dad’ was.”

Zach mentioned that Kaila loves preschool, animals, dancing, and getting all into make-believe play, especially during her “cruise vacations” in a cardboard box.

Kingman Police Department’s chief of police Rusty Cooper told GMA, “Lt. Brian Zach’s commitment to public safety is exemplified in his commitment and love for Kaila. Both Brian and his wife Cierra are amazing parents. They are committed to the service of others and a cause that is greater than themselves. We are proud of Brian and thankful that he and his family are part of the Kingman Police Department.”

Zach wants families contemplating adoption to know that they shouldn’t fear the process, assuring them that it’s “well worth it.”