A 3-year-old boy pulled a loaded handgun from a backpack at a Michigan daycare and passed it among other children before a teacher intervened, prosecutors say.
The Sept. 28 incident at Children’s World Early Learning Center in Canton Township ended without a shot being fired or anyone being injured, but both of the boy’s parents are now facing misdemeanor charges.
Canton Public Safety said officers responded that morning after receiving a report that a toddler had been found with a loaded firearm inside the daycare. Police secured the gun and began an investigation that initially resulted in one parent being arrested.
The boy’s father, Brandon John Ely, 28, is a Detroit police officer, while the child’s mother, Rabab Ibrahim Al Zayad, 27. The handgun involved was not Ely’s department-issued weapon.
Passed Around
Prosecutors say the boy found the unsecured, holstered handgun inside a backpack that had been stored in the classroom.
After removing it, the child passed the firearm to other children before a teacher noticed what was happening and took it away. No one was injured.
Canton Police Chief Joseph Bialy later praised the daycare’s response, saying the teacher and the center’s existing protocols helped prevent the incident from becoming far more serious.
“I’ve watched the video, and I’ve seen what their staff did,” Bialy told CBS Detroit, adding that employees were prepared to remove the firearm and keep the children safe.
Children’s World told families that the supervising teacher remained calm and followed the center’s safety procedures. The daycare subsequently disenrolled the family and added additional precautions, including searching bags.
Two Charges
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy charged Ely with one count of fourth-degree child abuse, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
Al Zayad was charged with unsafe storage of a firearm, a 93-day misdemeanor.
“These are the charges that we will be able [to] prove in court of law beyond a reasonable doubt,” Worthy said in a statement quoted by WDIV. “It is very unsettling to think about what may have happened in this case.”
Both parents were arraigned Oct. 1 in 35th District Court before Judge Joe Barone and received $10,000 personal bonds. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 30.
No Firearms
Barone also ordered both parents not to possess firearms while the case is pending.
During the hearing, Ely told the court he had nine guns stored in three safes at his home. His attorney asked the judge to allow Ely to retain a firearm for his police work and proposed that the weapon be stored at his department when he was off duty.
The judge rejected that request and ordered the firearms surrendered. Ely has since been placed on restricted duty without a firearm pending the outcome of the case.
Canton police said there was no continuing threat connected to the daycare incident.