Toddler brings loaded gun to daycare; Parent arrested
By DeJanay Booth-Singleton, Heath Kalb
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CANTON TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WWJ) — Police have launched an investigation after a toddler was found with a loaded gun at a daycare in Canton Township.
Officers responded to the Children’s World Early Learning Center on Monday morning and collected the firearm. Canton police say a parent was arrested. Authorities confirmed that one of the child’s parents is a police officer in a neighboring community, but police did not say if that parent was the one who was arrested.
It is also unclear how the child got hold of the gun and who the firearm belongs to. Police did confirm that the gun was not a service weapon.
Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy called the incident an “extremely serious matter” and commended the daycare staff for responding quickly.
“I’ve watched the video, and I’ve seen what their staff did, and they were prepared and ready to be able to remove this firearm and keep all the kids safe there,” Bialy said.
Police say that when the investigation is complete, the case will be forwarded to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for review. Police did not release any additional information at this time.
In a statement to CBS News Detroit, Children’s World Early Learning Center said, “We pride ourselves on being one of the safest centers in the Canton area. It is our priority. Although this incident was out of our control, we are very proud of our staff and especially the teacher who responded so quickly. It was an unfortunate incident. No one was hurt and all safety measures were followed. Because of our attention to safety and our strict adherence to protocols, we avoided what could have been a tragedy.”
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