9-year-old returns $3K found in a dumpster

WALPOLE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- This is one of those stories that restores your faith in mankind. And in the countless hours moms and dads spend parenting. When a 9 year-old girl came face to face with a moral dilemma at summer camp Thursday, it was her parents' words that began ringing in her ears.

The little girl found about $3,000 in crisp, old bills stuffed in an envelope laying amongst trash in a recycling bin in the parking lot next to a park where her summer camp was held. Something drew her attention to the bin where she came across the loot.

"She knew it wasn't hers, so she she went and told the director and she in turn told me," her mother said.

Police Officer John Thayer did some dumpster-diving himself to help find the money's owner.

"It was in between a couple of magazines and newspapers that had this person's name on it," he said.

Thayer was able to trace the cash back to a 91-year-old Belmont woman. Belmont is a good 40 miles from where the money ended up and it turns out that it was taken there accidentally by a friend of the woman.

"She did not even know it was gone it happened to be tossed out with the recycling they were cleaning out some items in her house and it must have got mixed up in the box," Thayer said.

The girl's mom said, "I think this really means a lot to her that this is an elderly woman because she has a real heart for older people."

"Our faith teaches us that you do kind things and the right things not to get recognition, but because it is the right thing to do," she said.

It's a faith the girl's parents say they've been diligent to pass on to their kids and at that bin Thursday, they got to see the fruits of their parenting.

The elderly woman did not want to speak on camera, but was elated to have the money back. She says she's very proud of the little girl and is grateful that she did the right thing. The woman's also thankful to police for tracking her down.

Cox Media Group