A Kansas mom thought she was going to jail when she was caught stealing at Walmart . But what happened next left her in tears.

Sarah Robinson said she was running out of diapers for her 2-year-old twin daughters when she walked into Walmart in Roeland Park, Kansas, on July 6.

Robinson has been struggling to make ends meet since the tragic death of her husband in 2012. She and her daughters, 15-year-old Emily, 13-year-old Sophia, 12-year-old Angelina, 4-year-old Miley and twins Becky and Bella, spent most of their time in their car, from which all of their possessions had recently been stolen, Robinson said.

"So I went to Walmart, grabbed clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, and I just walked out, but they caught me," said Robinson.

When Roeland Park police officer Mark Engravalle arrived, he noticed that some of the children with Robinson were barefoot and had dirty feet.

"He noticed [what she stole] were necessities like diapers, shoes for the kids, some clothing," Roeland Park public information officer John Demoss told ABC News. "He asked her what the situation was, and she broke down crying."

After releasing Robinson with a citation for misdemeanor theft, Engravalle went back inside the store with her children and bought diapers, baby wipes and clothes for the children. He even let the girls pick out their own shoes.