Dixon Girl Rewarded For Turning In Wallet Full Of Cash

DIXON (CBS13) - It's a classic story of "what would you do if you thought no one was looking?" For one honest girl, it was an easy choice.

Jessica Gutierrez picked up a wallet and found a wad of cash inside, but she didn't keep it.

People who know the 7-year-old aren't surprised she did the right thing. So they wanted to honor the Dixon girl for her honesty.

She was walking to school one day when she saw something on the sidewalk.

"I was walking and I saw it. I wasn't going to pick it up but then I picked it up," Gutierrez said.

She picked up the wallet and inside was hundreds of dollars.

"That would be robbing," Gutierrez said of why she didn't keep it.

Her principal was probably the least surprised with her actions.

"She is just an amazing kid, not surprising she would find a wallet full of money and turn it in, just a great kid," Tremont Principal Adriane Laughter said.

The folks in Dixon decided that the simple act of doing what you are supposed to do in this day and age should be celebrated. So they gave her a ride to school in a fancy stretch limo. She received a certificate from the local police chief, and a hug and a kiss from her mom.

Some of the local business even got together and started a college scholarship fund for her with $1,000.

Dixon police Chief Jon Cox says we could all learn something from this little girl.

"She deserves it. Not only does it send a message to Jessica, but it also says you to can be a part of a community, putting other people before yourself," he said.