FAIRBORN — A Fairborn Police officer is helping out a local 12-year-old boy after he recently went through a rough time.
Cayden Kountz’ parents were both hospitalized with COVID-19 two weeks ago, just days before before his birthday. His mother, Elizabeth Kountz, was fighting for her life.
“I was in the hospital, fighting Covid and fought really hard,” Elizabeth Kountz said.
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She said that it was the nurses and staff at the hospital she was admitted to who helped her fight and get released in time for her son’s birthday. But prior to his birthday, Cayden’s bike was stolen.
Cayden let a couple of kids that he though were his friends ride his bike in the days leading up to his birthday, but they would not give it back.
Elizabeth Kountz called the police and when Officer Joe Pence went to retrieve the bike, he said he found it badly damaged.
Pence believed the kids threw the bike off a bridge onto railroad tracks. He told News Center 7′s Candace Price that seeing Cayden’s face when he saw his bike was “heartbreaking.” That was when Pence made a suggestion to Cayden’s mom.
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Pence told her the police have a property room full of bikes that get turned in or found throughout the city. The officer went back and picked out a bike for Cayden from the room.
“Things like this happen often and a lot of times you don’t hear about it,” Pence said. “Its the small, little things.”
Pence also picked out bikes for the other kids involved in the incident as well, but they father turned the down, saying that his boys needed to learn a lesson.
Elizabeth Kountz said she will be pressing charges against the two boys involved.
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