ABC News(MT. JULIET, Tenn.) — A 6-year-old girl’s lemonade did more than quench thirsts — it warmed hearts.
Caroline Freeman, of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, spent Saturday wearing an apron with rainbow letters after propping up a canopy to sell fresh cups of tasty homemade lemonade.
But Caroline’s lemonade came with a special twist: all of the refreshing profits were to be donated to the family of Sgt. Daniel Baker, 32, who was found fatally wounded in his patrol car last month.
Caroline, who one day hopes to become a police officer, placed handwritten signs outside of her stand.
“Lemonade … ” read one, selling the drinks for a quarter. Another read, “All money goes to Sgt. Daniel Baker’s family!”
Baker, who was also a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and is survived by his wife and daughter, was fatally shot after responding to a call on the morning of May 30.
Authorities believe Steven Wiggins shot Baker to death before going on the lam. Erika Castro-Miles was arrested in connection with Baker’s death for allegedly being in Wiggins’ vehicle when he, according to authorities, shot Baker.
Days later, authorities captured Steven Wiggins, who has been charged with premeditated murder, Tennessee authorities said.
Caroline’s stand, meanwhile, inspired local law enforcement officers to swing by and buy cups for the good cause.
Mt. Juliet Police Department’s Captain Tyler Chandler tweeted that her compassion “a strong reminder that there is so much goodness in our world …”
The police department made a video of the emotional lemonade stand, which featured Caroline taking photos with various law enforcement officers, and climbing into their cars and SUVs.
“Caroline has a dream to become a police officer and the death of Dickson County Sheriff Sgt. Baker made an impact,” the video’s slide reads.
A tally at the end of the day of lemonade stand’s profits exceeded $1,000.
Caroline herself appeared in a video holding a pink poster board and thanked everyone “for coming to my lemonade stand… We raised $1,125.00 for Sgt. Baker.”
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