CANTON, Michigan — A toddler brought a loaded, holstered handgun into a classroom at Children’s World Early Learning Center on Monday morning, touching off a swift response from a daycare worker and a criminal investigation that by Wednesday had widened to include the child’s parents.
Police Chief Joseph Bialy said the employee noticed the firearm and took immediate action. Surveillance footage captured the moment. The gun was still in its holster, with the trigger and trigger guard completely covered, Canton police said. That detail, along with the worker’s speed, prevented anyone from being hurt. No injuries were reported.
Police say the weapon, described by 7 News Detroit as a loaded Glock pistol, belonged to the toddler’s mother, a nurse, who was arrested and could face formal charges as early as Wednesday. The toddler’s father is a Detroit Police Department officer, according to the station. DPD is not commenting on the case. Canton police have reached out to DPD’s internal affairs division.
By Wednesday, Canton Township police said the parents would face charges and make an initial court appearance on Thursday. The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office declined to offer details or additional comment, saying it would wait until a judge signs off on the charges. The charges were not clear and had not yet been formalized; a judge was expected to authorize them Thursday morning, the office said.
The toddler’s mother faces a misdemeanor charge that could result in up to 93 days in jail or a fine of up to $500, according to 7 News Detroit. It remains unclear how long the child had access to the firearm. The toddler is currently with relatives.
Under Michigan law, firearms must be locked up at home when children are present. The penalties depend on the facts of each case, but they are greatly enhanced if a gun is fired and someone is wounded or killed. A man from Newaygo County is serving more than three years in prison after his five-year-old grandson was fatally shot by another child who got access to a shotgun.
Earlier this month, two Pontiac parents were charged after their 3-year-old son was shot and killed with their unsecured firearm. In May, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy launched a safe storage campaign urging gun owners to keep firearms out of children’s reach.
“Thirty-nine cases of death or injury in Wayne County since 2020 because a young person found an unsecured firearm in their home,” Worthy said in a video in May.
“The video is hard to watch, but I’m comforted by the fact that nobody was injured,” Bialy told reporters. “The takeaway and the message here is no matter how busy our lives are, we have a greater responsibility if we’re going to choose to own a firearm to make sure that it’s safe,” he said.
Children’s World said in a statement, “There is nothing we take more seriously than the safety, security and well-being of the children entrusted to our care. We understand the concerns this event has caused our families, and as educators and parents ourselves, we fully share those feelings. We are proud of the immediate response our teachers took to ensure the safety of our children and are grateful that nobody was harmed.” The center added that effective immediately it was introducing additional measures, including checking backpacks.
