CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than $250,000 has been raised for the family of fallen Charlotte police officer Mia Goodwin, who died after investigators say a tractor-trailer slammed into her squad car on I-85 on Wednesday.
Officer Goodwin recently returned to work after being on maternity leave following the birth of her third child.
The local Fraternal Order of Police Lodge and a GoFundMe by Back the Blue NC raised the bulk of the funds, while the owners of Waterbean Coffee announced all Christmas Eve sales at their Mecklenburg County locations will be donated to the family.
At Waterbean Coffee's Huntersville location, the line stretched outside as families stopped in to purchase coffee and pastries.
"I think it’s a great idea," Peggy Moore said. "They're helping somebody that needs it."
Courtney Boivin said she heard about the fundraiser through a local moms group on Facebook.
"It's a terrible tragedy that happened," Boivin said. "But it's so cool that the community is just getting together."
Waterbean Coffee announced that it raised over $17,000 for Ofc. Goodwin on Christmas Day.
"We would first like to thank our amazing staff for working and staying late to help out yesterday," the coffee shop said in a statement. "What can we say, we have an incredible community! Everyone from local law enforcement to Emergency Responders to Fire Fighters and last but not least our customers all showed up! To support Officer Mia Goodwin’s family."
Contact Brandon Golder at bgoldner@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.