Obsession with cops earns badge for 6-year-old cancer patient, ‘the epitome of hope’

On her first day as a Twiggs County sheriff’s deputy, 6-year-old Karma Lilly Little behaved like a seasoned officer.

She instinctively knew to stand at attention and let the sheriff do all the talking.

Sheriff Darren Mitchum realized he was not the star of this news conference and didn’t intend for her to exercise her right to remain silent.

“It’s about her. It’s not about me. None of this was about me, or my office. It’s about her,” Mitchum said Friday morning.

Mitchum has been praying for Karma Lilly since he met the ailing Danville youngster about a month ago.

“My hope and my prayer is that eventually she can be well and be able to do things that kids her age normally do — to run and play and enjoy being a child and get well,” Mitchum said.

The kindergartener, who is battling stage 4 neuroblastoma through a clinical trial at Sloan-Kettering Memorial Hospital in New York City, asked her parents to take her to meet her hometown sheriff.

“It just really touched me like I’ve never been touched by anything before, and she’s just very special,” said Mitchum.

As only the second patient to try this experimental treatment, Karma Lilly befriended members of the New York Police Department during her frequent hospital stays in the city.

“She’s obsessed with law enforcement. She loves it,” said Jennifer Little, her mother.

The treatments zap her spirit only for a short time.

“She bounces back pretty quick,” said Little, trying not to cry about her daughter’s predicament and the kindness others have shown.

Karma Lilly’s “100 percent truthfulness in her attitude and everything she does” made her a perfect candidate for the honorary position, Mitchum said.

After he issued Karma Lilly standard khaki pants and a personalized black polo shirt with her name and a sheriff’s office logo on it, he administered the oath of office.

With a nod of the new sheriff’s cap shielding her bald head, she swore never to betray her badge, integrity, character or the public trust.

Mitchum also presented her with a black “work uniform” in case she has to go out with K-9 officers.

He handed over a shiny gold shield and two sets of identification badges to clip to her shirt.

“ ‘Cause if you’re like the rest of the deputies, you lose everything. So, I made you two IDs, in case you lose one,” said Mitchum, who was down on one knee to address his newest officer.

When asked if she would arrest anyone, she knew she was missing an important piece of equipment.

“I left my handcuffs at home,” she said.

After a round of applause for the new officer, Karma Lilly repositioned a piece of hard candy in her mouth, and shyly said: “I want to go back to school.”

Since running out of treatment options in Macon and Atlanta, she has missed many school days after transferring to Sloan-Kettering in December.

When she saw Jeffersonville Elementary School Principal Jamie Paulk in the back of the courtroom, she eagerly embraced him.

Following the solemn ceremony, her trademark grin was back on her face as she put her arms around Paulk’s neck.

“She’s a shining star. She’s our angel. We call her our miracle baby. It’s amazing. All that she’s been through, she has a smile every day,” Paulk said. “She’s resilient. She’s the epitome of hope and faith and so we’re very fortunate that she’s with us.”

This story was originally published September 30, 2016 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Obsession with cops earns badge for 6-year-old cancer patient, ‘the epitome of hope’."