Daijiworld Media Network - Detroit
Detroit, Oct 1: The parents of a Detroit-area toddler who took a loaded pistol from his backpack at a daycare centre in Canton Township, Michigan, will face criminal charges, police said Wednesday.
The parents are scheduled to make their initial court appearance on Thursday, according to Canton Township police. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has declined to provide details of the charges, saying it would wait until a judge approves them.
The incident occurred Monday at Children's World Early Learning Center, where the toddler pulled a loaded handgun from his backpack. The weapon was in a holster. No one was injured, as a daycare staff member quickly noticed what was happening and intervened.
Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy praised the staff member for acting swiftly and safely to secure the situation. He said surveillance footage showing the toddler handling the firearm was "shocking".
"The video is hard to watch, but I'm comforted by the fact that nobody was injured," Bialy said.
Police had earlier said that one of the child's parents is a law enforcement officer in the Detroit area. Authorities clarified that the parent who was taken into custody is not the police officer. The handgun was also not identified as a service weapon.
Bialy said he did not believe there was malicious intent involved, but stressed the importance of securely storing firearms so that children cannot access them. Following the incident, the daycare said it would strengthen its safety procedures and begin checking backpacks entering the facility.
Under Michigan law, firearms must be securely locked when children are present in a home. Penalties vary depending on the circumstances and become significantly more severe if a firearm is discharged and someone is injured or killed.
The case has also drawn attention to previous firearm-storage prosecutions in Michigan. A Newaygo County man is serving more than three years in prison after his five-year-old grandson was fatally shot by another child who gained access to a shotgun.
Police are continuing their investigation, with the parents' court appearance expected to provide further details about the charges.