Kids usually believe that Santa Claus is real and don’t bother to question its existence. But not 10-year-old Scarlett Doumato. Instead of taking her parents’ word for it, this curious girl from Cumberland, Rhode Island, decided she needed some hard proof.
Back in January, Scarlett sent out a letter to Cumberland Police Department in which she asked for help in determining whether Santa is real. She also provided a half-eaten cookie and some carrots she left for Santa and his reindeer for the DNA test.
“I took a sample of a cookie and carrots that I left for Santa and the reindeer on Christmas Eve and was wondering if you could take a sample of DNA and see if Santa is real,” the girl wrote in the letter.
The police not only shared the letter and the evidence on their official Facebook page but also committed to a full investigation of the matter.
After a few weeks of investigation, Cumberland Police Department invited Scarlett to the station in order to present the results of their investigation. While DNA tests were “inconclusive,” the police said they managed to obtain a photo of a reindeer in front of Scarlett’s house and interviewed a suspect “in a red suit.” They also leaned on some historical evidence and further research to conclude that Santa Claus is real.
“To answer your question, Scarlett, yes, there is a Santa Claus, and that same spirit resides in you,” Chief of Police Matthew J. Benson wrote as part of the brief. “I thank you for the joy you brought me, my staff, and this community. And for the millions across the world who believe in Santa Claus right along with you, they too say Thank You.”
Police also provided Scarlett with some gifts to reward her investigative spirit, including a crime scene investigator’s jacket, a badge, a patch from the North Pole Police Department, and a fingerprinting kit.
