A calm morning in Hawthorne Ridge turned into a lifesaving mission when K9 Ranger, a German Shepherd, suddenly pulled toward a moving garbage truck and barked with urgency.
Officer Daniel Hargrave trusted his partner’s instincts and stopped the truck. Climbing up, they heard it — a faint baby’s cry. Inside a discarded blanket was a newborn, cold and barely breathing.
Paramedics rushed the infant to St. Jude’s Medical Center, where doctors said the baby was only hours old but expected to make a full recovery.
The town quickly rallied — sending letters, donations, and even peanut butter biscuits for Ranger. Police Chief Monica Ellsworth summed it up: “Without Ranger, we’d be telling a different story.”
Now back on patrol, Ranger is getting more treats — and a hero’s welcome wherever he goes.
