New York Yankees send flowers to Polk County Police, Officer Hearne's family

POLK COUNTY, Ga. - A mother and 5-year veteran of the Polk County Police Department who was gunned down in the line of duty last week was laid to rest on Tuesday.

The police department and the family have received support from all over the country, including a nice note and a spray of flowers from the New York Yankees.

The note said:

In a Facebook post, the Polk County Police Department said they received the flowers on Wednesday.

The funeral for Detective Kristen Hearne, 29, took place at Victory Baptist Church.

It was the image that brought loved ones and law offers to tears. Little Isaac Hearne, just 3 years old, in his grandmother's arms, an arm's reach away from his mother's flag-draped casket.

MORE: Polk County officer killed in line of duty laid to rest

It was a painful reminder of what a little boy and really what the entire Polk County community lost the morning of September 29 when Detective Kristen Hearne was fatally shot.

Polk County Police Chief Kenny Todd told mourners Hearne was more like a daughter to him than an officer. Still, she earned his respect and that of her peers as a dedicated detective who never cut corners.

The chief remembered how often Hearne sacrificed time with her husband and son to assist her brothers in blue.

He said she was not wearing a protective vest Friday because she thought she was just responding as backup on a call about a stolen car discovered on Santa Claus Road, unaware of the danger hiding in the woods.

"All they had to do was stay in the woods and no one would have ever known they stole that car. Instead, they chose to engage these officers in gunfire. Kristen wasn't a hero and it's just hard to believe that she died over a car," the Chief said with tears in his eyes.