Police officer lovingly adopts homeless mum's baby

Jesse and Ashley Whitten never thought they would be parents of six lovely children.

But their lives changed forever when they received a special phone call during a Valentine’s Day party.

Jesse is a dedicated dad and a police officer for California’s Santa Rosa Police Department.

He loves the care that his job entails and often devotes his time to chatting to the city’s homeless community.

One woman in particular has moved his heart. She is a mum battling with drug addiction and often voices her struggles to Jesse.

According to CBS SF, Jesse even introduced his his wife Ashley to the mum last August, creating an unbreakable bond between the three.

No one sympathised with the woman more than Ashley, already a mother herself, and was taken by surprise when the woman revealed that she was pregnant.

Ashley said in an interview with CBS: “I mentioned, ‘Oh, you are pregnant?’ and she said, ‘Oh yea’ and placed my hand on her womb.”

Fast forward to February, when the couple received a call that surprised them both. The homeless mum had given birth and wanted Ashley and Jesse to adopt her baby.

And the parents said yes! Adding even more to their wonderfully, large family of five children.

“It’s weird to live in the tension of joy and heartbreak like this story is. It’s wonderful at the same time,” Ashley gushed.

Baby Harlow Masie is now 6-months-old, and as of this week, she is officially and legally part of the Whitten family. Her parents could not be happier.

After expressing their thankfulness to the unnamed, homeless mum, her simple reply was: “You’re her mother now.”

Although Harlow was exposed to drugs during her development, the happy couple have reported that she is doing brilliant now.

They are over the moon with the newest addition to their family and feel so blessed to be able to turn a potentially heartbreaking story into one of overwhelming love.