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'He Was Covered in Bruises': Abuse Case Moves Officer to Adopt Child

CBN

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It was a normal work day for Oklahoma Police officer Jody Thompson, when one call changed his life forever. 

He received a call about a child abuse case. 

"I thought I would respond to the call with on duty officers to see if I could give any kind of assistance," Thompson said. 

When he arrived, he never would have guessed the child he saw would end up being his son. 

"When I seen him. When I seen him in that house... I knew," Thompson said.

The eight-year-old was badly beaten and malnourished, according to Police Chief Stephen Fruen. 

"Based on some of the case facts, when we found him he was bound by his hands and feet with rope and had been submerged in a trash can, held in the shower," Fruen said. "They weren't feeding him. He didn't have much to eat. I think what he did get to eat he got at school. Bruises, he was covered in bruises from head to toe."

Officer Thompson never left the child's side while he was recovering in the intensive care unit. 

"And the rest is kind of history," Thompson said.

Thompson and his wife gave the little boy, named John,  a new life where they say he excels. 

"He means everything in the world that we live in. He's the strongest person I've ever met. He means the world," Thompson said.

Thompson is a straight A student and is also in the gifted and talented program at his school, according to his dad. 

When asked about his adopted father, Thompson credits him for everything. 

"He was helpful to me. He's the reason why I'm here right now," he said.

But the Thompsons' story doesn't end there. They also decided to adopt the boy's sister. 

During John's adoption process they learned his biological mother gave birth to a baby girl in jail. 

"We picked her up at the hospital. She was barely 24-hours old and we brought her home," Thompson said.

Fruen says his officer sets a standard for care and compassion in law enforcement. 

"All of us can sit back and say we would do the same in that situation, but to come through with it and to do that, that's a measure of a man - and a very good police officer," Fruen said.

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