HSPD helps local youth celebrate late Halloween

Submitted photo HELPING BATMAN: Officer 1st Class Joey Williams, left, kneels next to Jaxton Yerby, 6, at the Hot Springs Police Department on Nov. 1. Williams organized a special trick-or-treat opportunity for Yerby after he missed Halloween due to illness.
Submitted photo HELPING BATMAN: Officer 1st Class Joey Williams, left, kneels next to Jaxton Yerby, 6, at the Hot Springs Police Department on Nov. 1. Williams organized a special trick-or-treat opportunity for Yerby after he missed Halloween due to illness.

Hot Springs Police Department employees offered a real treat to a Hot Springs youth who was unable to celebrate Halloween this year due to an illness.

Jaxton Yerby, 6, spent part of the day after Halloween dressed as Batman while visiting the police department. His father, David Yerby, reached out to Officer 1st Class Joey Williams prior to Halloween to make sure his son was able to celebrate the holiday.

"Jaxton had become sick the weekend before Halloween with strep throat and was advised by the doctor to stay home from school for the rest of the week so the antibiotics could do the work. It looked unfortunate with him sick with Halloween around the corner and the weather forecast wasn't ideal to take him trick-or-treating given the circumstances," David Yerby told The Sentinel-Record on Monday.

He had met Williams earlier this year at Spa-Con, and the two became friends on social media. When Yerby saw that Williams was helping to organize "Boo with a Badge," he decided to reach out to see if Williams would be willing to give his son a bag of the leftover candy.

"A 6-year-old should not have to miss Halloween," Williams told The Sentinel-Record on Sunday.

"My wife and I have a 6-year-old son, and he would be devastated if he had to miss out on the holiday. I would hate to miss it myself; it is my favorite holiday," he said.

Williams told Jaxton Yerby and his father to swing by the station as soon as he began feeling better, asking him to dress up in his Halloween costume so he really felt like he was partaking in the holiday.

"Jaxton wasn't sure what to expect at first until the front desk had paged Joey saying that 'Batman was here to see him' and it brought a big smile to his face," his father said.

"It was his first experience meeting a police officer in full uniform. He just lit up when Joey came right out with a goody bag and gave him a high five in approval for his Batman costume," he said.

Williams organized it so Jaxton Yerby was able to go to different parts of the building and trick-or-treat for his candy. He walked away with two bags full of candy, stickers and a day pass to the YMCA.

"I liked meeting Officer Joey and getting those cool goodies," he said.

Local on 11/08/2017

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