Maryland police officer helps elderly woman with dementia walk home

A Facebook post showing an officer's kindness toward an elderly woman is eliciting big smiles - and big shares.

The Charles County Sheriff's Office in Maryland captured the special moment as the police officer and an elderly woman walked hand in hand.

According to police, a woman called 911 to report her 81-year-old mother was missing.

She said her mother went out for her daily walk, but never returned. The moment was scary for the family because her mother has dementia.

When officers found her 40 minutes later, she said she had lost her way and asked if they too were out taking a walk.

They said, "yes," and then one officer took her hand and showed her the way home.

The officers say they encounter different situations each day, but happy endings like this make police life rewarding.